Ms. Wolf's resume

Paula A. Wolf, M.A.

Paula Wolf is a contract lobbyist representing primarily nonprofit organizations before the NC General Assembly and the Executive Branch of state government. Paula develops policy and strategy for her clients. She also consults on various local and judicial campaigns.

Paula was ranked 16th (out of over 700) in the 2003 ”Rankings of the Most Influential Lobbyists in the 2003 North Carolina General Assembly” and 12th in the “48 Most Influential Lobbyists in the NC General Assembly” for the 2001 Legislative Session. In 1999, she was ranked 18th and was the highest-ranking newcomer to the list and the highest-ranking nonprofit lobbyist on the list. The rankings are compiled and reported by the North Carolina Center for Public Policy Research in Raleigh.

Paula served as a political consultant for the National Education Association (NEA) activating North Carolina members during the 2004 presidential election cycle. In this role, she used her organizing skills to motivate educators to action in campaign and electoral politics.

Paula was the Chief Lobbyist for the Covenant with North Carolina’s Children, a multidisciplinary, statewide coalition advancing public policy that benefits North Carolina’s children, from January 1997 through March 2004. Paula led the Covenant to national recognition as an exemplary merger of direct lobbying, grassroots lobbying and public relations to accomplish improvements in laws and policies for children and youth. In 1997-1998, Paula participated in the development of the NC state plan and was the lead lobbyist for the implementation of the state/federal children’s health insurance program (NC Health Choice).

Concurrently with the Covenant work, she was a Senior Fellow at the North Carolina Child Advocacy Institute. In this role, she provided expertise in public policy and media relations and coordinated the NCCAI InfoNet, an active and popular e-mail network of 30 Listservs.

Paula served as the Executive Director of the North Carolina Child Fatality Task Force in 1996, a 36-member legislative study commission established by the North Carolina General Assembly during the 1991 Legislative Session. Much progress was made during her tenure, including enacting and strengthening North Carolina’s model Graduated Driver’s License law.

From 1993 to 1995, Paula worked for the State Employees Association of North Carolina (SEANC), first as the policy research specialist and personnel counselor, and in her final year, she was acting director of governmental relations.

Paula earned a Bachelor of Arts degree in psychology and speech and an interdisciplinary Master of Arts degree in social sciences from Northeastern Illinois University. She also completed doctoral coursework and exams in the sociology of higher education at The University of Chicago.