Karen Paikin Barall is Chief Policy Officer at the Louis D. Brandeis Center. She previously served as Vice President of Government Relations for the Jewish Federations of North America (JFNA), where she led federal advocacy efforts including the Antisemitism Awareness Act, focusing on legislation addressing antisemitism and Jewish communal security. Prior to JFNA, she was Director of Congressional Relations at the Republican Jewish Coalition (RJC), engaging Republican members of Congress on issues important to the Jewish community and support for Israel. Earlier in her career, Barall gained bipartisan experience on Capitol Hill working as a legislative aide for Democratic Representatives Shelley Berkley (D-NV) and Gary Ackerman (D-NY) in areas such as foreign affairs and homeland security. She earned a B.A. in Government and Politics from the University of Maryland, College Park, and a J.D. from The George Washington University Law School. She operates primarily from Washington, D.C.