OUR TEAM
Nathan Lee, Managing Director
Nathan Lee is the Founder and Managing Director of CivicPulse. Nathan’s research on local and state government has been published in a wide range of journals in the disciplines of political science, public administration, public policy, psychology, management, and law. Previously, Nathan was an Assistant Professor of Public Policy at the Rochester Institute of Technology (2020-2023). He also served in President Obama's National Economic Council (2011-2012) and on Commissioner Mike Florio's staff at the California Public Utility Commission (2015). Nathan holds a PhD in Political Science from Stanford University, a Masters of Science in Technology and Policy from MIT, and a Bachelors of Engineering from the University of Pennsylvania.
Victoria Starbuck, Assistant Director
Victoria is the Research Director at CivicPulse. She draws on her prior experience at the Armed Conflict Location & Event Data Project (ACLED) as North America Research Manager, among other roles. Victoria has applied her research, data management, and communication expertise to support clients ranging from elected officials and think tanks to the Law Library of Congress. She holds a MA in Digital Asset and Media Management from King's College London and a BA in History from UNC-Greensboro.
Christine Dean, Assistant Director
Christine is the Assistant Director at CivicPulse, where she leads research initiatives and develops data-driven insights to support local government leaders nationwide. She also serves on her town’s Historic Preservation Board. Christine holds an MS in Science, Technology, and Public Policy from Rochester Institute of Technology, where she developed expertise in policy analysis and data visualization.
Peaches, Co-Founder and Coach
Peaches hails from the East Bay in California, where she first developed her passion for local government smelling her way through the amazing municipal county parks. In 2018, when she was seven, she joined Nathan down at Stanford University to help him finish his PhD. When he decided to start CivicPulse a few months after they met, she was unwavering in her support. She has been with him through his time in California, Minnesota, and now resides with Nathan and Rebekah in Rochester, New York (GREAT parks there, too). Throughout the whole CivicPulse journey, she has been mentor, coach, friend, and source of levity and wisdom for the whole staff. In all seriousness, we wouldn't be here today without her.
BOARD OF DIRECTORS
Drew Combs, City Councilmember for Menlo Park, California
Drew Combs serves on the city council in Menlo Park, California. In his time on the city council, Combs has spearheaded the approval of major infrastructure and park projects, played a key role in hiring senior city staff positions and been an advocate for balanced development. For 2021, he held the position of mayor. Prior to being elected to city council, Combs served on the city’s Planning Commission for four years. Combs was also previously a member of the city’s Bicycle Commission. In addition to city government roles, Combs’ community service has included tutoring high school students and fundraising for a local nonprofit. Combs’ professional experiences include a decade-long stint as a legal journalist as well as operations and privacy management roles in the tech industry. He is a graduate of Columbia University, where he majored in Urban Studies, and Harvard Law School.
Amy Eappen, EVP & Chief Financial Officer at IIE
Amy Eappen is Executive Vice President and Chief Financial Officer at the Institute of International Education (IIE), where she oversees financial operations, compliance, investments, audit, and administrative services. Prior to IIE, she worked as a Budget Analyst and Program Director with the City of New York. Amy served as an Economic Development Volunteer with the United States Peace Corps in Honduras. She obtained her M.S. in Management and Urban Policy from the Milano School at the New School and a B.A. in Diplomacy and Foreign Affairs and Spanish from Miami University in Ohio.
Andy Krackov, President of Hillcrest Advisory
Andy Krackov’s career has focused on the intersection of data and community-level action. His consultancy, Hillcrest Advisory, works with social sector organizations on the front lines of local change to help them communicate numbers effectively and tell stories with data. He managed statewide data projects for two foundations in California: the Lucile Packard Foundation for Children’s Health and the California Health Care Foundation. His first professional experience – and his abiding passion – is journalism: Andy was a researcher and a reporter at U.S. News & World Report. Andy received his bachelor’s degree in history from Washington University in St. Louis and his master's degree in communication theory from Stanford.
Talia Lomax-O’dneal, Deputy Finance Director for the Metropolitan Government of Nashville & Davidson County, Tennessee
Talia Lomax-O'dneal is a well-respected government finance professional with more than thirty years of experience in state and local government finance. She has received numerous awards and recognitions for her work. She currently serves as Deputy Finance Director for the Metropolitan Government of Nashville and Davidson County (Metro). From 2015 through 2019, she served as Director of Finance. She was the first African American and first woman to hold this position. She is a Certified Government Financial Manager (CGFM) and a Certified Municipal Finance Officer (CMFO). She is a member of the Government Finance Officers Association, the AGA and the National Forum for Black Public Administrators. She is also a member of the Society for Human Resources Management and is certified as a SHRM-SCP.