Who We Are

Building Policy Power
in Mississippi.

The Policy Lab is a Mississippi-based policy training and civic education platform founded on one belief: the people most affected by policy deserve to be in the room where it is made.

Our Foundation

Mission, Vision & Values

The principles that guide everything we build and every community we serve.

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Mission
To make policy literacy accessible to every Mississippian.
The Policy Lab exists to close the gap between the people making decisions and the communities those decisions affect. We do this through accessible training, practical tools and civic education that meets people where they are — in classrooms, in communities, in organizations and at kitchen tables across Mississippi.
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Vision
A Mississippi where every community has a seat at the table.
We envision a state where no community is left out of the legislative process because they lacked access to information, training or relationships. Where nonprofit leaders, educators, parents, faith communities and first-time advocates all have the knowledge and the confidence to shape the policies that shape their lives.
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Values
What we stand on.
Accessibility — Policy knowledge should not be a privilege. We build tools for everyone.
Community First — The communities most affected by policy lead our agenda.
Accountability — We hold ourselves and systems to the same standard we teach.
Empowerment — We do not just inform people. We equip them to act.
Rooted in Mississippi — Built here. For here. By people who know this state.
The room was full.
We made space.

Policy knowledge has always been treated like a credential — something reserved for the people already in the room. The Policy Lab exists because that gap is not an accident. It is maintained. And it ends here.

We are Mississippi's first policy training platform built specifically for the people the system was never designed for. Woman-owned. Mississippi-built. Community-driven.

The People Behind the Work

Meet Our Team

Every member of The Policy Lab team brings real, lived experience in Mississippi policy, organizing and civic education to the work.

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Photo coming
Hannah Burnell Williams
Founder & CEO
Policy strategist and civic educator with over seven years of experience in voting rights, legislative strategy, coalition building and advocacy infrastructure in Mississippi. Founded The Policy Lab to bring policy literacy to the communities that need it most.
Taylor Turnage
Taylor Turnage
Youth Leadership Coordinator
Introduces young people to legislative concepts and bridges the gap between everyday life and public policy. Focused on preparing the next generation of informed leaders and voters to navigate Mississippi's legislative landscape with knowledge and confidence.
Corrin Dixon
Corrin Dixon
Legislative Affairs Manager
Fosters legislative relationships and coordinates advocacy opportunities for communities based on their specific issues and priorities. The connective tissue between community voices and the legislative process.
Mikel Bolden
Mikel Bolden
Director of Government & Community Relations
Leads strategic planning and builds and maintains high-level political relationships across Mississippi. Provides legislators with meaningful opportunities to champion community issues and ensures The Policy Lab's work is connected to the halls of power.
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Photo coming
Deontae Graham
Training Coordinator
Develops and coordinates trainings, workshops and educational resources for community members, organizations and partners. Ensures that every learning experience The Policy Lab delivers is practical, accessible and built for real impact.