Our mission
We alert, equip, and empower the public to influence the federal policies that shape their lives.
Who we are
Public Powered Policy was founded by former leaders of the U.S. Department of Justice Civil Rights Division.
We served together in the Disability Rights Section — the office responsible for enforcing and strengthening the civil rights of people with disabilities nationwide.
We didn’t just study federal rulemaking (aka policymaking). We lived inside it.
At DOJ, we were responsible for developing major civil rights rules that affect millions of people’s daily lives, including:
- A rule requiring state and local government websites to be accessible, so people with disabilities can use the internet to vote, apply to college, follow civic events, and stay informed about what’s happening in their children’s schools.
- A rule requiring medical diagnostic equipment to be accessible, covering exam tables, weight scales, mammography machines, and more — ensuring that people with disabilities can receive basic medical care, including being weighed at the doctor’s office.
We also transformed ADA.gov into a practical, plain-language resource so that people with disabilities, businesses, and governments could understand their rights and responsibilities.
Through this work, we saw how federal policies should be made — with your input. Too frequently, large corporations and industry groups dominate the process, pushing agencies to write rules that serve them, even when those rules fail the public.
Why now?
When we left the government, we didn’t leave our mission behind.
We are seeing powerful efforts underway to shrink public participation, rush harmful rules through, and bury ordinary people under technical language and opaque procedures. When the public is locked out, our rights are weakened and accountability disappears.
Public Powered Policy wants to reverse that trend.
What we do
We use our insider experience to spotlight attempts to undermine public protections, we explain federal policymaking (aka rulemaking), and we highlight why it matters to you. We also provide you with the practical tools you need to participate.
Your voice belongs in the policies that govern your life. And when the public shows up, the system works better for everyone.
About us
Executive Director
Rebecca B. Bond is a civil rights attorney who spent 25 years at the U.S. Department of Justice working to protect and expand the rights of people with disabilities and other marginalized communities.
For twelve years, she served as Chief of the Disability Rights Section in the Civil Rights Division, where she led national enforcement of the Americans with Disabilities Act. In that role, she oversaw landmark ADA regulations, major investigations, and high-impact litigation that improved access to healthcare, education, voting, and government services for millions of people.
Rebecca also twice served as Acting Deputy Assistant Attorney General for Civil Rights — under both the Biden and Trump administrations — helping guide the Division’s work on disability rights, education equity, voting rights, and Title VI enforcement.
Earlier in her career, she brought Fair Housing Act cases as a Trial Attorney and Deputy Chief in the Housing and Civil Enforcement Section and served as a Special Assistant United States Attorney prosecuting criminal cases.
Rebecca is a graduate of Harvard Law School and Yale University.
Public Policy Liaison
Cameron Lynch is a disability rights advocate who works to ensure equitable of treatment of disabled people through policy advocacy and intersectional engagement.
Cameron is currently a policy analyst with the Autistic Self Advocacy Network where she focuses on the education, civil rights, and accessible technology portfolios. Before this role, Cameron served in the U.S. Department of Justice Disability Rights Section as a paralegal, working on regulations under the Americans with Disabilities Act. She as also created Chronic and Iconic, an online advocacy and support organization for disabled young people. Her advocacy work has been featured in USA Today, CNN, The Washington Post, The New York Times, and the BBC.
Lynch graduated from the College of William and Mary, where she studied Sociology and Government, with a concentration on Social Problems, Policy, and Justice where she received the 2022 James Monroe Prize for Civic Leadership.
Director of Policy and Programs
Kristin worked for the Department of Justice, Civil Rights Division, Disability Rights Section for over eight years in a few different roles, including as a Deputy Chief. Kristin’s work was aimed at protecting and advancing the rights of people with disabilities. She was also particularly focused on the intersection of law, technology, and accessibility.
While at DOJ, Kristin led a team that was responsible for:
- developing regulations under the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA)
- creating related technical assistance to help people understand their legal rights and responsibilities
- coordinating regulatory developments with other federal agencies
- delivering information to the public via ADA.gov
Also, she has two dogs and likes playing volleyball.
Contact us
If you have questions, are interested in learning more about public engagement in the regulatory process, or just want to talk to us, please feel free to reach out.