NLIHC welcomes Kayla Laywell to the policy team as a housing policy analyst. Kayla joins NLIHC from the office of Senator Ben Ray Luján (D-NM), where she covered housing and homelessness. Prior to working for Senator Luján, Kayla was a field representative in the office of former Congresswoman Xochitl Torres Small (D-NM), where she advocated for the needs of rural communities and Tribal governments at the start of the COVID-19 pandemic. Kayla’s legislative career started in the Texas Capitol as a health policy fellow in Representative Garnet Coleman’s office.
Previously, Kayla was a case manager in a Rapid Re-Housing program in Houston, Texas. She worked with the Coalition for the Homeless of Houston/Harris County throughout Hurricane Harvey and assessed political engagement efforts among the Coalition’s direct service providers. Kayla’s interest in serving marginalized communities began at a federally qualified health center (FQHC) along the U.S.-Mexico border, where she assisted uninsured people experiencing homelessness.
Kayla holds a master’s degree in social work with a specialization in political social work from the University of Houston Graduate College of Social Work. She holds a bachelor’s degree in social work from New Mexico State University.
Please join us in welcoming Kayla to the NLIHC team!