Alex Nock brings 25 years of experience in Federal education, disability, labor and health policy to Penn Hill Group. During his time in Washington, DC, Nock has been a part of every major piece of Federal education and disability policy legislation.

At Penn Hill Group, Nock manages an array of clients across the full spectrum of policy areas. He helps clients identify and secure their policy goals with Congress, the Administration, and congressional and presidential campaigns. He also helps clients better communicate their policy goals and objectives to policymakers and the public.

Prior to his position with Penn Hill Group, Nock served as the Democratic deputy staff director for the U.S. House Committee on Education and Labor. From 2007–10, Nock oversaw all aspects of the committee’s work on elementary and secondary education, higher education, disability policy, early childhood education, health care, retirement security, workplace safety, mine safety, workforce training and national service.

Nock has led numerous reauthorizations while working on Capitol Hill, including the Elementary and Secondary Education Act, the Individuals with Disabilities Education Act, the Workforce Investment Act, the Higher Education Act, the Head Start Act, and Federal child nutrition laws. Nock also played key roles in advancing and securing passage of the two major higher education budget reconciliation bills in 2008 and 2010, as well as the Student Aid and Fiscal Responsibility Act, the Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act, and the Edward M. Kennedy Serve America Act.

Nock previously served as the director of the Commission on No Child Left Behind, a bipartisan, independent effort to improve the No Child Left Behind Act. During his time with the commission, Nock recruited Commission Co-Chairs Secretary Tommy Thompson and Governor Roy Barnes, as well as the 13 commission members. Nock managed the completion of the commission’s report, which laid out a comprehensive set of recommendations for improving the No Child Left Behind Act. At the time of issuance, the commission’s report was regarded as the pre-eminent set of reauthorization recommendations.

Prior to the commission, Nock developed education and social policy on Capitol Hill. He held several positions, including education coordinator for the U.S. House Committee on Education and the Workforce, where he spearheaded all Democratic policy and politics on higher education, elementary and secondary education, workforce and job training, disability policy, and other social service issues. Nock also worked for Rep. Matthew G. Martinez (D-CA), the Human Resources Subcommittee, the U.S. House Committee on Education and Labor, and Rep. Steny H. Hoyer (D-MD).

Nock holds a bachelor’s degree in political science from the University of Maryland.

Yvonne leads people, finance, legal, and administration teams for Understood. She brings more than 20 years of experience supporting diverse professionals across multiple industries to her role as Chief Administrative Officer.

Prior to joining Understood, Yvonne founded YSquare Advisors, a boutique consultancy, to help developing organizations manage their human resources functions. She also previously served as Chief Human Resources Officer for The Fresh Market, and was the Commissioner of Human Resources for the City of Atlanta. Yvonne co-leads Understood’s “Embrace Difference” internal working group, which helps empower diverse communities and perspectives. She enjoys volunteeri n in her community, mentoring professionals seeking careers in HR, and is an active member of SHRM.

Yvonne holds a BA in Economics from Northwestern University and an MBA in Employee Relations from Georgia State University.

Elizabeth leads the HR function for the Global Services organization in the Commercial Bank. 

Prior to joining JP Morgan Chase in June 2012, Elizabeth lived in Shanghai, China where she developed an HR consulting practice and worked as Head of Marketing for the Jane Goodall Institute. 

Elizabeth’s career has spanned an array of progressive HR leadership roles for large multi-national organizations including Morgan Stanley, Toyota Financial Services and Mary Kay Cosmetics. She has lived and worked in Dallas, Vancouver, Los Angeles, Chicago and Shanghai. 

Elizabeth is a graduate of Texas Christian University’s School of Communications, the University of the Chicago Booth School of Business Leadership Program, and she studied Mandarin at the Mandarin Language School in Shanghai, China. Elizabeth serves as a Board Member for Child Care Associates and is the Chair of the Board of Visitors for the Bob Schieffer School of Communications, Texas Christian University. 

Elizabeth lives in Fort Worth with her husband, Jonathan, and three rowdy dogs. Her daughter, Katherine, recently graduated from the University of California San Diego and is now living and working in La Jolla, California.