Biography: Holly Kuzmich

Holly Kuzmich

Vice President and COO

Holly Kuzmich is the Vice President and Chief Operating Officer of Margaret Spellings & Company, where she manages the firm’s client relationships and business development. She has deep policy knowledge in education and extensive experience in legislative issues.

Prior to joining Margaret Spellings & Company, Kuzmich served as the Assistant Secretary for Legislation and Congressional Affairs and Deputy Chief of Staff for Policy and Programs at the U.S. Department of Education. In these capacities, she oversaw communications between the Department and Congress on behalf of the Secretary and served as a member of the Secretary’s senior staff, providing strategic advice and counsel on Administration initiatives and working closely with the White House to advance education reform. She led the implementation, regulatory, and reauthorization efforts for the No Child Left Behind Act, managed student lending initiatives, and led policy development associated with the nearly $70 billion annual budget.

Kuzmich came to the Department from the White House Domestic Policy Council, where she served for three years as Associate Director for Education. In that capacity, she developed and coordinated Administration policy on education, organized Presidential events and messaging on education, and developed budget proposals.

Prior to that, Kuzmich served for four years as a professional staff member on education, welfare, and social policy issues for Senator Tim Hutchinson, a member of the Senate Health, Education, Labor, and Pensions, Committee. There she played an active role in the drafting of the No Child Left Behind Act, the Higher Education Act, and welfare reform legislation, among others. She started her career working for Senator Dan Coats. She received her bachelor’s degree from Northwestern University.