isthmus strategies
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Bridging People and Policy
Our Mission
We bridge the gap between people and policy by translating community needs into actionable strategies and lasting change. Our firm specializes in policy consulting, program evaluation, legislative drafting and priority tracking, facilitation, and organizational development.
Our work spans a variety of policy areas where technical complexity is high, and we are increasingly focused on environmental and climate issues.
At Isthmus Strategies LLC, we partner with organizations, campaigns, and governments to build policies and structures that meaningfully reflect the voices of the people they serve – because good policy always starts with good listening.
Our Story
Our name is inspired by our founder's Afro-Panamanian heritage and reflects our mission of bridging people and policy.
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The Isthmus of Panama ("el Istmo de Panamá") is the largest and most significant isthmus in the world. An isthmus is a strip of land that connects two other land masses and separates two bodies of water. In other words, an isthmus primarily serves as a bridge.
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At Isthmus Strategies, we envision a community where everyone has a seat at the table — where policy is not something that happens to people, but with them.
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Our Founder
Rachel M. Wallace
Master of Arts in Jurisprudence and Social Policy, UC Berkeley School of Law
Master of Public Policy, UC Berkeley Goldman School of Public Policy
Bachelor of Science in Environmental Engineering, University of Notre Dame
Bachelor of Arts in Philosophy, University of Notre Dame
Rachel M. Wallace is a policy strategist trained in law and economics and in environmental engineering.
Over the past decade she has managed coalitions of 150+ organizations, drafted 16+ bills, and directed six statewide advocacy campaigns across wage policy, criminal legal reform, and civil rights.
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