Resources Faculty & Staff Directory Faculty & Staff Directory A F L M R S V Facet Last Name - Directory Staff Faculty Facet Person Type - Directory Domestic Policy & Politics Political Science Facet Area of Focus - Directory Center for Effective Lawmaking Karsh Institute of Democracy Facet UVA Partner - Directory Budget & Finance EdPolicyWorks: Center for Education Policy and Workforce Competitiveness Academic Affairs Information Technology National Security Policy Center UVA Humanitarian Collaborative Development Social Innovation @ UVA Student & Alumni Services External Affairs (-) Dean’s Office (-) Center for Effective Lawmaking Facet Batten Department - Directory Colin Achilles Associate Director, Center for Effective Lawmaking cachilles@virginia.edu 434-243-7180 Colin Achilles is the Associate Director of the Center for Effective Lawmaking (CEL), a joint partnership between the Batten School and Vanderbilt University. He is the manager of day-to-day operations at CEL. Read full bio Brian Ford Senior HR Business Partner ayh2zf@virginia.edu As an HR leader with 20 years experience, Brian Ford currently is the Sr. HR Partner for the Batten School and McIntire School of Commerce. Prior to UVA, he led the Employee Experience function for the eastern US region at VMLY&R. In this capacity, he and his team drive culture, talent management and the overall employee experience for offices such as New York, Atlanta & Miami. Prior to VMLY&R, Brian was Chief People Officer at Fusion Media Group and had sr. leadership roles at Ogilvy, LG Electronics and Mercedes-Benz USA. Read full bio Craig Lindqvist Associate Dean for Administration csl3g@virginia.edu (434) 243-7528 Craig Lindqvist serves as the Associate Dean for Administration at the Batten School where he oversees the school's business affairs, planning, finances, personnel, technology, facilities, and other non-academic functions. Read full bio Amy D. Meli Postdoctoral Research Associate, Center for Effective Lawmaking vwm6xu@virginia.edu Garrett Hall L028 Amy Meli is a postdoctoral research associate at the Frank Batten School of Leadership and Public Policy at the University of Virginia, working with the Center for Effective Lawmaking. Her research centers around interest groups and the way they influence the political system. Read full bio Jill Rockwell Senior Assistant Dean of Career Advancement and Alumni Engagement jill.rockwell@virginia.edu 434-924-7950 Garrett Hall 204 Jill Rockwell, Senior Assistant Dean of Career Advancement and Alumni Engagement at UVA Batten, and her team are focused on the professional success of our graduates and alumni as well as activating our alumni network in support of the school. Read full bio Lauren Shepherd Chief of Staff and Senior Director of Strategic Initiatives lds8n@virginia.edu Lauren Shepherd joined Batten in 2022, coming from Teach For America where she served as Managing Director, Chief of Staff to the Vice President of Executive Director Learning. Prior to that, she served as the Chief of Staff to the TFA Bay Area Executive Director and as Managing Director of Teacher Onboarding Strategy. Originally trained as a journalist, she has professional experience as a writer and reporter as well as many years involved in strategic and operational planning, project management, partnerships, and talent development. Read full bio Craig Volden Professor of Public Policy and Politics; Co-director of the Center for Effective Lawmaking volden@virginia.edu 434-243-3725 Garrett Hall Craig Volden is a professor of public policy and politics at the University of Virginia, with appointments in the Frank Batten School of Leadership and Public Policy and the Department of Politics. He studies the politics of public policy, with a focus on what policy choices arise within legislative institutions and within American federalism. He is founder and co-director of the Center for Effective Lawmaking. Read full bio
Colin Achilles Associate Director, Center for Effective Lawmaking cachilles@virginia.edu 434-243-7180 Colin Achilles is the Associate Director of the Center for Effective Lawmaking (CEL), a joint partnership between the Batten School and Vanderbilt University. He is the manager of day-to-day operations at CEL. Read full bio
Brian Ford Senior HR Business Partner ayh2zf@virginia.edu As an HR leader with 20 years experience, Brian Ford currently is the Sr. HR Partner for the Batten School and McIntire School of Commerce. Prior to UVA, he led the Employee Experience function for the eastern US region at VMLY&R. In this capacity, he and his team drive culture, talent management and the overall employee experience for offices such as New York, Atlanta & Miami. Prior to VMLY&R, Brian was Chief People Officer at Fusion Media Group and had sr. leadership roles at Ogilvy, LG Electronics and Mercedes-Benz USA. Read full bio
Craig Lindqvist Associate Dean for Administration csl3g@virginia.edu (434) 243-7528 Craig Lindqvist serves as the Associate Dean for Administration at the Batten School where he oversees the school's business affairs, planning, finances, personnel, technology, facilities, and other non-academic functions. Read full bio
Amy D. Meli Postdoctoral Research Associate, Center for Effective Lawmaking vwm6xu@virginia.edu Garrett Hall L028 Amy Meli is a postdoctoral research associate at the Frank Batten School of Leadership and Public Policy at the University of Virginia, working with the Center for Effective Lawmaking. Her research centers around interest groups and the way they influence the political system. Read full bio
Jill Rockwell Senior Assistant Dean of Career Advancement and Alumni Engagement jill.rockwell@virginia.edu 434-924-7950 Garrett Hall 204 Jill Rockwell, Senior Assistant Dean of Career Advancement and Alumni Engagement at UVA Batten, and her team are focused on the professional success of our graduates and alumni as well as activating our alumni network in support of the school. Read full bio
Lauren Shepherd Chief of Staff and Senior Director of Strategic Initiatives lds8n@virginia.edu Lauren Shepherd joined Batten in 2022, coming from Teach For America where she served as Managing Director, Chief of Staff to the Vice President of Executive Director Learning. Prior to that, she served as the Chief of Staff to the TFA Bay Area Executive Director and as Managing Director of Teacher Onboarding Strategy. Originally trained as a journalist, she has professional experience as a writer and reporter as well as many years involved in strategic and operational planning, project management, partnerships, and talent development. Read full bio
Craig Volden Professor of Public Policy and Politics; Co-director of the Center for Effective Lawmaking volden@virginia.edu 434-243-3725 Garrett Hall Craig Volden is a professor of public policy and politics at the University of Virginia, with appointments in the Frank Batten School of Leadership and Public Policy and the Department of Politics. He studies the politics of public policy, with a focus on what policy choices arise within legislative institutions and within American federalism. He is founder and co-director of the Center for Effective Lawmaking. Read full bio