Otto Katt brings a passion for education to his advocacy in the areas of higher education, workforce, immigration, and tax policy on behalf of Lewis-burke clients. Otto provides strategic guidance on legislative, administrative, and regulatory issues at the Department of Education (DoED). He leverages his professional knowledge and expertise, gained while working in the K-12 space and at the state and federal policy level, to provide timely insight and support to clients on key education policy issues including federal student financial aid, the evolving higher education landscape, and tax and immigration policy as they relate to higher education.
Before joining Lewis-Burke, Otto served as the Education Advisor for Tennessee Representative Phil Roe, a member of the House Education and the Workforce Committee. While there, he proposed and developed education and workforce development policies for the congressman. He also staffed and advised the congressman at Education and Workforce Committee meetings and district events and engaged various interest groups, stakeholder groups, and agencies regarding pertinent legislation.
Issue Expertise: Higher education policy, student financial aid, free speech, campus safety, accreditation, STEM (Department of Education), workforce (Department of Labor), immigration (DHS; USCIS), and tax.
Additional Experience: Otto has worked in education as a teacher, administrator, and policy analyst in New Jersey, Massachusetts, and North Carolina. These experiences include serving as a Teach For America Corps member.
Vital Statistics: Otto received his B.A. in History from The College of New Jersey in Ewing, NJ and his Masters in International Studies: Latin America from the University of Connecticut in Storrs, CT. He grew up in New Jersey but enjoys the opportunity to road-trip across the U.S. Otto ran track in college and continues to run the occasional marathon.