Amy Friedrich-Karnik (she/her) is the Director of Federal Policy at the Guttmacher Institute, which she joined in 2023. She serves as a resource and technical expert on sexual and reproductive health and rights policy in the United States at the federal level, advocating with Congress and the Administration for policies informed by facts and evidence in support of a progressive SRHR vision. Previously, she was the Vice President of Advocacy and Communications at WomenHeart where she oversaw the organization’s policy, advocacy, and communications efforts to advance support and access to care for women living with and at risk for heart disease. She launched the organization’s Advocacy Corps of volunteer WomenHeart Champions, collaborated with partner organizations and coalitions, and led campaigns to raise awareness of women’s heart health. Prior to joining WomenHeart, she was the Senior Federal Policy Advisor at the Center for Reproductive Rights, where she helped lead the Center’s federal policy work. She focused on developing and implementing strategies to ensure protection for reproductive rights and access to reproductive healthcare in the U.S, including overseeing the Act for Women campaign. Prior to that, Ms. Friedrich-Karnik used her skills as a consultant advising non-profit clients and spent time on the Hill working for U.S. Representative Jan Schakowsky. She received a Master of Public Policy degree from UCLA. She is chair of the Board of Directors for REPRO Rising Virginia Foundation and lives in Northern Virginia with her husband and two children.
Director of Federal Policy