Mary Jo H. Mitchell, MPA, has been the director of government affairs for the Population Association of America (PAA) and Association of Population Centers (APC) since January 2004. In addition to representing PAA and APC, Mitchell has co-directed The Census Project since 2008. Prior to her position with PAA/APC, Mitchell worked at the National Institutes of Health (NIH) for approximately 10 years, as the legislative officer at the National Institute on Aging and as the special assistant to the director of the NIH Office of Policy for Extramural Research Administration. Mitchell held positions on Capitol Hill as a legislative assistant for U.S. Representative Rosa DeLauro and legislative correspondent for former U.S. Senator Jeff Bingaman.

Mitchell has an MPA from George Washington University and is a former Presidential Management Fellow. Her recent leadership positions include serving as president of the Association of Public Data Users, 2021–2022, chair of the Associates Board of Directors for the Wolf Trap National Park for the Performing Arts, 2011–2012, and member of the U.S. Census Bureau’s 2030 Census Advisory Committee. In 2024, she was named one of Washington D.C.’s Top Lobbyists by the National Institute for Lobbying and Ethics.

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