Kathryn Zickuhr - D.C. Policy Center

Kathryn Zickuhr served on the D.C. Policy Center staff as the Director of Policy from its founding until May 2020.

Prior to joining the Center in January 2017, Kathryn was a research analyst at the Pew Research Center’s Internet & Technology Project, where she studied topics such as the changing role of public libraries in American communities and the digital divide. Kathryn holds a Master of Public Policy degree from Georgetown University’s McCourt School of Public Policy and a Bachelor of Arts in history and Russian from the University of Kansas.

Written By Kathryn Zickuhr

Articles | Business Conditions | COVID-19 | Economy

How COVID-19 is affecting small businesses in D.C.

The economic effects of the coronavirus pandemic have been dramatic and unprecedented, as cities and countries shut down large swaths of their economies to control the spread of the virus, and consumer demand has fallen due to stay-at-home orders, rising unemployment, and general economic uncertainty. As previous recessions and other economic shocks…

April 30, 2020 | Kathryn Zickuhr

Articles | Transportation

What is the impact of fare evasion in D.C.?

WMATA has estimated a consistent fare evasion rate of 5 percent on Metrorail based on peer systems and industry averages. Its estimates of fare evasion on Metrobuses, as reported by operators’ farebox reports, has risen sharply over the past four years. However, it is unclear if the increase in fare evasion reports on Metrobus reflects a rising number of unpaid trips, or is related to increasing implementation of fare evasion measurement methods or other issues.

February 20, 2020 | Kathryn Zickuhr

Articles | Business Conditions

D.C. is behind the rest of metropolitan area in business ownership rates for women

October is National Women’s Small Business Month. Only 8 percent of business establishments in the District of Columbia with five or more employees are owned by women, as we wrote in the 2019 State of Business report. D.C. has lower shares of businesses owned by women than almost any other jurisdiction in…

October 30, 2019 | Kathryn Zickuhr

Testimony | Data | Racial Equity

Testimony on the “Racial Equity Achieves Results Amendment Act of 2019”

On April 25, 2019, D.C. Policy Center Deputy Director of Policy Kathryn Zickuhr testified on B23-0038, “Racial Equity Achieves Results Amendment Act of 2019,” before the Committee on Government Operations. BILL SUMMARY – As introduced it requires the Office of Human Rights and the Department of Human Resources to develop and provide…

April 25, 2019 | Kathryn Zickuhr

Testimony | Poverty and Income Inequality

Testimony on the “Access to Public Benefits Amendment Act of 2019”

On April 24, 2019, D.C. Policy Center Deputy Director of Policy Kathryn Zickuhr testified on B23-0097, “Access to Public Benefits Amendment Act of 2019,” before the Committee on Human Services. BILL SUMMARY – As introduced it extends the opt out from denying TANF benefits to certain drug felons to other locally-funded public…

April 24, 2019 | Kathryn Zickuhr

Reports | Poverty and Income Inequality | Racial Equity

Applying a racial equity lens to fines and fees in the District of Columbia

In recent years, jurisdictions across the country have increasingly turned to fines and fees[1] both as a policy mechanism and as a way to generate much-needed revenue, especially after the budget crunch from the Great Recession.[2] However, unlike taxes, fines and fees are usually the same for everyone, regardless of their income…

April 22, 2019 | Kathryn Zickuhr

Articles | D.C. History | Housing | Racial Equity

Discriminatory housing practices in the District: A brief history

The landscape for today’s racial disparities in income, wealth, and home ownership, as well as the patterns of segregation and underinvestment, follow from a long history of public and private practices that have discriminated against Black communities and other communities of color. We take a brief look at this history in the 20th century through today in order to provide context for discussions of present-day practices.

October 24, 2018 | Kathryn Zickuhr

Testimony | Public Health

Testimony on the Opioid Abuse Prevention Amendment Act of 2018

Deputy Director of Policy Kathryn Zickuhr provided testimony on February 12, 2018 about the “Opioid Abuse Prevention Amendment Act of 2018” in the D.C. Council. Read the testimony here. More: Confronting the opioid—and fentanyl—crisis in the District

February 12, 2018 | Kathryn Zickuhr

Reports | Education | Educational equity

Four principles to guide child care policy in D.C.

The District’s child care crunch has been well-documented. Earlier this year, WTOP produced a five-part series on D.C.’s child care crisis, in addition to pieces from the Washington Post and WAMU. Most recently, D.C. made national headlines by requiring that lead teachers at child care centers earn a bachelor’s degree by 2020, the…

May 24, 2017 | Kathryn Zickuhr

Reports | Demographics | Education | Educational equity

How should we measure D.C.’s “child care gap”?

D.C.’s parents are in a bind. While the District offers free pre-K for its three- and four-year-olds, finding high-quality child care from a licensed provider for infants and toddlers is challenging at best. D.C.’s licensed child care capacity for children under age three is limited, and the spots that are available are…

May 9, 2017 | Kathryn Zickuhr