Liz Hempowicz

Vice President of Policy and Government Affairs

she/her

Areas of Expertise

Whistleblower protections, conflicts of interest, FOIA, emergency powers, separation of powers

Liz Hempowicz is POGO’s vice president of policy and government affairs. Liz’s primary focus is on impact advocacy and ensuring that POGO’s policy, advocacy, and government affairs work reflects long-term and short-term strategic priorities. She oversees the work of POGO’s Center for Defense Information, Constitution Project, Ethics and Accountability Initiative, and Effective and Accountable Government Program. She develops and advances policy solutions to combat corruption and to promote openness and accountability in government.

Liz has participated in efforts to improve the Inspector General Act, the Whistleblower Protection Act, the National Emergencies Act, lobbying and congressional ethics rules, broader whistleblower protections, the Freedom of Information Act (FOIA), and other government accountability initiatives. She communicates POGO’s priorities to a variety of stakeholders including lawmakers, executive officials, the media, and POGO’s civil society partners.

Liz is an expert on whistleblower protections, conflicts of interest, ethics, FOIA, separation of powers, and the National Emergencies Act. She has testified before Congress ten times, and has been cited in various news outlets including CNBC, the Associated Press, Fox News, NPR, the New York Times, Washington Post, WNYC’s On the Media, and Politico.

She earned her J.D. from American University’s Washington College of Law in 2014, where she served as the managing editor of the Legislation and Policy Brief. She earned a B.A. in international political economy and diplomacy at the University of Bridgeport in 2010, where she graduated magna cum laude. Liz is licensed to practice law in the State of New York.

Liz is a 2022 senior practitioner fellow at the University of Chicago’s Center for Effective Government, and serves as the vice president of the board of the DC Open Government Coalition.

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