Katherine Neas serves as the acting assistant secretary in the Office of Special Education and Rehabilitative Services, at the U.S. Department of Education (Department). In this capacity, she serves as advisor to the U.S. secretary of education on matters related to the education of children and youth with disabilities, as well as employment and community living for youth and adults with disabilities. The mission of her office is to improve early childhood, educational, and employment outcomes, and to raise expectations for all people with disabilities, their families, their communities, and the nation.

Neas previously served as senior vice president of public affairs at the American Physical Therapy Association (APTA). In this role, she oversaw APTA’s federal and state government public policy activities, federal regulatory affairs, grassroots and political action efforts, public relations along with payment and practice management activities. Prior to joining APTA, Neas spent 23 years at Easterseals, a national nonprofit provider of direct services to children and adults with disabilities and their families. Her roles at Easterseals included service on the senior management team, federal and state government relations advocacy, oversight of federal grants and contracts and management of the Easterseals Office of Public Affairs. Prior to Easterseals, Neas was the associate director of the American Association of University Affiliated Programs for persons with Developmental Disabilities. She also was legislative staff to Chairman Sen. Tom Harkin (D.-Iowa) of the Senate Subcommittee on Disability Policy between 1987 and 1991, where she worked on all disability legislation, including the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA) and the Individuals with Disabilities Education Act (IDEA). 

A graduate of Georgetown University, she hails from Des Moines, Iowa.

Jamila Smith is the Director of the Office of Innovation and Early Learning Programs at the US Department of Education's Office of Elementary and Secondary Education (Department). She oversees several initiatives that provide financial and technical support to improve the educational achievement of students, particularly high-need students and our youngest learners.  Her office manages the Education Innovation and Research grants, Ready to Learn Programming, and co-manages the Preschool Development Grants Birth-5 grants with the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services.

Jamila has led initiatives to support students and communities in rural and geographically isolated areas, providing guidance and technical assistance.  She began her career in education in the Risk Management Service supporting states and the Insular Areas in assessing program performance risk and developing monitoring and fiscal control protocols for the Title I and Title III program offices. She also served as a technical assistance lead for the Race to the Top States leading initiatives focused on performance management and education reform sustainability.  Jamila has also served as a Management Analyst for the Office of Naval Intelligence where she conducted a series of human capital studies focused on strategic recruitment, skills gap analyses, and succession planning.

Prior to joining the Department, Jamila was a social work advocate for homeless children and youth, advocating for coordinated and timely assessment services for elementary-aged children. She also holds a Bachelor’s degree in Government from Georgetown University and a Master’s degree in Social Work from the Catholic University of America.