Katie Berger

Strategy Director for Federal Policy

Katie Berger is the strategy director for federal policy for Lumina Foundation, an independent, private foundation in Indianapolis that is committed to making opportunities for learning beyond high school available to all.

Previously, Berger was the director of education for the White House Domestic Policy Council. In this role, Katie oversaw President Biden’s higher education agenda across the federal government. She worked with U.S. Department of Education staff to align programs, regulations, and policies with the President’s agenda.

Berger has worked for both the U.S. Senate Committee on Health, Education, Labor, and Pensions (Senate HELP Committee) and the U.S. House of Representatives Committee on Education and Labor (House Education & Labor).  In these roles, she helped draft and negotiate major pieces of legislation, including the FAFSA Simplification Act to overhaul the financial aid application process and need analysis formula; the restoration of Pell Grant eligibility for incarcerated students; and the $40 billion American Rescue Plan COVID-relief package for higher education.