Senior Advisor, National Conference on Citizenship
Edna Ishayik is an advisory to the National Conference on Citizenship as well as to the Social Connection in America project. For three years prior to that, she served as Senior Advisor for Science and Policy in the Office of the Surgeon General where she focused on social connection and community as a public health priority. She helped lead the production of, “Our Epidemic of Loneliness and Isolation: The U.S. Surgeon General’s Advisory on the Healing Effects of Social Connection and Community,” which was released in 2023. Her portfolio included organizing an interagency network focused on social connection, advising on the office’s World Health Organization Social Connection Commission activity, advancing public health measures for social connection, research on belonging and service, and more. Before entering the federal government, she served on the strategy team at the Obama Foundation where she focused on programs to increase civic and community engagement. Edna earned her B.A. from Rutgers University and her M.A. in journalism from New York University. She lives in New York City with her family.