"Public programs exist to make people's lives better, which means the help has to actually reach them, and reach them in a way that respects their time and their dignity."

Role

Zack is a Partner at 17A, where he leads the firm's Health and Economic Opportunity practices. His work focuses on making America's social safety net work better for the people they serve, partnering with state agencies, non-profits, and other stakeholders around Medicaid, SNAP, and other public benefits, social services, and systems that support health and economic well-being.

Recent work

Some of Zack’s work is making existing systems run better, like modernizing SNAP EBT infrastructure to reduce theft, or helping states keep eligible people covered under Medicaid work requirements. Some is rethinking how programs are designed, like addressing benefits cliffs in TANF and child care assistance, or designing a tax credit for low-income renters. And some is embedding strategic priorities into program operations, like the implementation and change management of 1115 waivers or the requirements in a managed care RFP.

Background

Before joining 17A, Zack was Assistant Secretary for Strategy at the North Carolina Department of Health and Human Services, where he also served as Chief of Staff and as COO for Human Services. He graduated magna cum laude from Harvard in 2014 with a degree in African and African American Studies, and also writes humor for The New Yorker and McSweeney's.