Meet Eden Forsythe, NCRC’s new Chief Policy Counsel. Eden will be instrumental in developing and leading NCRC’s policy priorities and goals.
Eden came to NCRC after serving as the Deputy Staff Director for Policy and General Counsel at the House Select Committee on the Strategic Competition between the United States and China where she helped pass major bipartisan legislation and oversaw policy for committee Democrats on issues including trade, labor rights, human rights, supply chains and the transition to clean energy.
Earlier in her career, Eden was the Senior Counsel for Rep. Sander Levin (D-Mighian) when he was Ranking Member on the Ways and Means Committee, and was part of the core team of aides that secured passage of the Iran Nuclear Agreement negotiated under President Obama.
Prior to returning to Congress in 2022, Eden focused extensively on domestic policy affecting low-income people across the state of New York. She played a central role in the passage of landmark legislation pegging the state’s minimum wage to inflation, a policy long favored by progressive economists to shelter low-wage workers from economic headwinds.
Eden began her career as a Deputy District Attorney in California where she prosecuted a wide range of crimes. She holds B.A. and J.D. degrees from the University of the Pacific, and was the 2009 Yale-in-China Teaching Law Fellow where she taught Federal Rules of Evidence.
To help get to know Eden better, we asked her a few questions.
Welcome, Eden!
What drew you to NCRC?
I find purpose in NCRC’s mission to create equitable opportunities. Working here is a concrete way for me to contribute to that vision. It is also about the opportunity to effect change alongside teams of colleagues who share the same vision. Policy work can be difficult, there can be many setbacks, and accomplishing big things always takes time. For those reasons, I especially like the ability to bounce ideas around, hear perspectives I haven’t thought about before, and work with a team.
What are you most proud of in your career?
I’ve worked in a variety of settings: Capitol Hill, state government, trying criminal cases in the courts and NGOs. I’ve mostly been able to find a path forward for my team and the issues we advocated for. I’m most proud of being able to balance the need for change with a realistic assessment of my environment. Even when things don’t go as planned, there is usually something that can be done to advance the agenda. Some of it comes down to knowing the alternatives, some of it is driven by personalities, and sometimes it takes playing the long game.
What’s your favorite non-work activity?
I enjoy the outdoors very much and would like to hike more. I aspire to hike across the West Coast Trail someday, and I would also like to get better at cross-country skate skiing.
What are you currently reading?
I am just finishing a novella by Edith Wharton called “Roman Fever” which centers on a complex friendship between two lifelong friends. I also recently finished “The Power Broker,” a very long and engaging book about the making of New York City, and the impact on people and neighborhoods.
More: Eden’s bio
