Meet Elissa

Elissa is running in the at-large special election to continue her work to make Washington, D.C., a community where people can afford to raise a family, open successful businesses, start careers, and retire in dignity.

When she served on the D.C. Council from 2015 to 2023, she was the lead champion for D.C.’s paid family leave program, which has benefitted tens of thousands of workers. She was an ally to local business owners, helping reduce red tape and appropriating millions in aid during the COVID-19 pandemic. And she has always been a committed fighter to keep the D.C. government responsive and accountable to taxpayers. 

Elissa has spent her career making District government work better for everyone. She began as a journalist, authoring the Washington City Paper's “Loose Lips” political column, and then later worked as a reporter for the Washington Post. Elissa then transitioned out of reporting into public policy. At the D.C. Fiscal Policy Institute, she analyzed the city's budget and led advocacy campaigns to raise the minimum wage and increase transparency and accountability among D.C. agencies.

Elissa grew up in Baltimore, Maryland, and is a proud graduate of the city's public schools. She earned her B.A. from Brown University, where her studies sparked an interest in cities and urban affairs. 

Elissa is a Ward 6 resident and owns a home in Capitol Hill near H Street NE. She is a longtime bike commuter, plays doubles for the D.C. Tennis Club in the USTA league, and is an enthusiastic, if not terribly skilled, baker and cook. She currently serves as a board member of Seabury Resources for Aging, which provides D.C. seniors and their families housing and other supportive resources.