SPARC is happy to welcome Corinna Turbes to the role of Senior Manager of Government Relations. In this position, she will serve as a critical liaison between SPARC and government officials at the federal level, advocating for members’ interests in open research and open education.
Turbes joins SPARC from the Data Foundation in Washington, D.C., where she began as a lobbyist for their Data Coalition community in 2020 and ultimately served as Director for the Center for Data Policy. At the Foundation, she worked with both Congress and the executive branch to advocate for improved access and responsible uses of federal data. Prior to her time at the Foundation, Turbes served as the Council of Professional Associations for Federal Statistics’ Associate Director of Strategic Communications and Policy Analysis.
In September 2024, Turbes was appointed to the Open Government Federal Advisory Committee (OGFAC) where she applied her expertise on a variety of public engagement initiatives, including the development of the 6th U.S. National Action Plan and federal open government policy.
“I’m really looking forward to using my experience in bridging the gap – translating technical expertise into something that’s policy relevant and helping people with technical expertise understand the policy perspective,” Turbes said. “I like being that translator between groups.”
Joining the SPARC team feels like a great public service opportunity at a critical time, said Turbes, who starts in her new role June 2.
“I’m excited about helping researchers have access to the data that they need to drive society forward. We really have to look at open data and open research as a public value,” she said. “We have the tools to democratize data and knowledge. It’s not an all or nothing proposition. Figuring out the way to do that is a puzzle that’s worth figuring out.”
Turbes holds a master’s degree in public policy and a bachelor’s degree in linguistics, both from the University of Minnesota.