Maura Policelli

Chief of Staff

"Oxfam's mission is rooted in the principles of liberation theology that are at the heart of my Jesuit education. Every day we work to empower those whose voices are not heard. Being part of these efforts is grounding and an honor."

Maura executes the priorities of our president, Ray Offenheiser, and represents the executive office on a variety of organizational initiatives, bringing her extensive background in national politics, public policy, and communications to Oxfam. She has spent over fifteen years working in Washington DC, where she held top-level positions on and off Capitol Hill. 

In the U.S. House of Representatives, Maura led a program for new members of congress on behalf of Democratic Leader Richard Gephardt. She went on to serve as Chief of Staff for Congresswoman Jane Harman and later for Congresswoman Gabrielle Giffords.  She also has experience at two prominent national policy organizations, the Center for American Progress and the Center on Budget and Policy Priorities, where she implemented new policy initiatives, led issue campaigns, and directed media operations. 

In the Obama Administration, Maura was first appointed to the U.S. Department of Education as Senior Advisor to the Deputy Secretary and then served as the Senior Vice President of Communications at the Export-Import Bank of the United States. 

Maura has a Bachelors of Arts from the College of the Holy Cross and a Juris Doctor from Georgetown University.