Brandi Slaughter brings two decades of public policy experience to her work having served nonprofits and government in advocacy and lobbying roles. At the outset of her career, Slaughter offered direct service to children and families—mainly those considered high-risk youth at several settlement houses. As an advocate for policy change, she has supported the development of state and federal policy which has impacted people with disabilities, the health of Ohioans, and children and families, most notably was her work to expand Medicaid in Ohio and defend the Affordable Care Act at the congressional level. Representing Ohio’s mainline Christian denominations, Slaughter has led efforts to protect democracy as well as abolish the death penalty.
Currently, Slaughter is an associate clinical professor and program director for the Karabelle Pizzigati Initiative in Advocacy for Children, Youth and Families at the University of Maryland School of Public Policy. Through teaching, Slaughter has inspired students to use their power and influence to advocate for reform. As program director for the Pizzigati Initiative, Slaughter increases the pool of diverse, visionary leaders with the confidence and competence to lead and sustain major systems reform for children. In addition to these roles, Slaughter serves as associate director of advocacy and outreach for the Maryland Initiative on Learning & Equity (MILE) where she coordinates a statewide coalition aimed at prioritizing the science of reading in policy discussions and practice. Her passion for bringing voice to marginalized communities is apparent in all of her work.
Slaughter is an ordained clergywoman with the Church of God in Christ and has served in various ministry positions. She received a Bachelor of Arts in Political Science from Morgan State University and a Juris Doctor from Capital University with a concentration in Child and Family Law. Understanding that service is a debt we owe, Slaughter serves on the board of trustees at Columbus School for Girls and Death Penalty Action. She is also a member of the Prince George’s County NAACP. In December 2023, she received Strong Schools Maryland’s Malcolm Funn Award in recognition of her commitment and support of Maryland’s children and their education. Slaughter is the proud mom of one son and dog mom to her precious pooch, Peaches.
- Poverty and economic security; Children’s health; Racial justice; Child welfare
This course aims to inspire, teach and engage students in the theory and practice of public leadership from the local to the national to the global level. Students will learn and apply diverse approaches to leadership in a multicultural society while developing an understanding of key frameworks and practices necessary to foster collective action across private, public, and nonprofit sectors. Students will also explore and assess their own personal values, beliefs, and purpose as they develop their leadership potential. Finally, students will understand the leadership skills and challenges particular to their role as a future policymaker.
Schedule of Classes
Students will gain a contextual understanding of how policy decisions and legal structures affect different people, as well as the role of law in organizing and advocating for just policy and social change. Students will analyze how structural inequities are shaped by historical, legal, social, and political factors, building on that knowledge to strategize solutions to problems requiring policy reform and systemic change.
Understanding pluralism and how groups and individuals coexist in society is an essential part of the public policy process. This course will examine the ways in which the diverse experiences of race, gender, ethnicity, class, orientation, identity, and religion impact the understanding of and equitable delivery of public policy. The examination of how identity development shapes our understanding of society and influences the decision-making process is central to students’ shaping policy that is truly for the people. This course will equip students with the skills needed to analyze pluralism and draw conclusions about the application of various theories to public policy issues.
Schedule of Classes
For poor and low-income families, federal programs such as Medicaid, Child care, SNAP and child nutrition programs are a lifeline every day. Some programs also have policies that consider more than income eligibility, such as number of hours of work, disability, and immigration status. Budget choices have a significant impact on policy intentions. Students will learn about and analyze the major federal programs and federal budgets for these policy areas; understand from data the impact of such programs and policies; and be introduced to significant advocacy efforts and considerations that shaped hese policy decisions.
Schedule of Classes
