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 sustainable change. Our firm specializes in policy consulting, program evaluation, legislative drafting, campaign strategy, coalition management, and strategic planning.
We partner with organizations, campaigns, and governments to build policies 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 mission-driven strategy consultant with over a decade of experience in policy analysis, legislative drafting, campaign strategy, legal research, program design and evaluation, community organizing, political lobbying, youth engagement, and career coaching.
Born and raised in Las Vegas, Nevada, she is passionate about systems change and participatory policy design.