Dr. Maya Shankar

Because I could not point to a high-level mandate.

Because I could not point to a high-level mandate.

I could not point to, at the time, President Obama saying, you guys all need to do this.

I could not point to, at the time, President Obama saying, you guys all need to do this.

Instead, I had to convince people because they saw genuine value, inherent value in what it was that I was proposing and that would help them achieve their existing program or policy goals.

Instead, I had to convince people because they saw genuine value, inherent value in what it was that I was proposing and that would help them achieve their existing program or policy goals.

So I knocked on every single door I could in government.

So I knocked on every single door I could in government.

I engaged at all levels of government.

I engaged at all levels of government.

And essentially, the tactic I used was to align my recommendations with existing goals they already had.

And essentially, the tactic I used was to align my recommendations with existing goals they already had.

So if the Department of Veterans Affairs was already trying to get veterans enrolled in a program, I would knock on their door and say, hey, I have some science-based insights that we can use to try to get you from point A to point B.

So if the Department of Veterans Affairs was already trying to get veterans enrolled in a program, I would knock on their door and say, hey, I have some science-based insights that we can use to try to get you from point A to point B.

Or if the Department of Education was trying to help student loan borrowers better understand their choices among repayment plans, I would say, oh, yeah, here's some research on the most effective way that we can structure these choices.

Or if the Department of Education was trying to help student loan borrowers better understand their choices among repayment plans, I would say, oh, yeah, here's some research on the most effective way that we can structure these choices.

I kind of recognized in those early days that if I were to introduce a new goal or a new idea, it would just be too much for folks to swallow on day one.

I kind of recognized in those early days that if I were to introduce a new goal or a new idea, it would just be too much for folks to swallow on day one.

So that was one.

So that was one.