Cambridge, MA – The Institute of Politics (IOP) at Harvard Kennedy School announced today the appointment of an accomplished group of fall 2018 Resident Fellows including a former Congressman, activist, journalist, political party leader and foreign policy expert as well as three of the nation’s top former mayors who will serve as Visiting Fellows.
 
“At this important time in American civic life we are very pleased to welcome an extraordinary group of Resident and Visiting Fellows who will bring their diverse perspectives and experiences to our students. Our new class of Fellows joins a rich legacy at the IOP of blending the practitioners of politics with the academy. This year we are also very pleased to have the additional engagement of three outstanding public servants who have led cities in times of immense change who also will be leading a weekly study group. Harvard students will have unique opportunities and access to all our Fellows for conversations on the important issues of our time,” said IOP Director Mark D. Gearan ’78.  
 
The Institute of Politics fall 2018 Resident Fellows:
 
Amy Dacey, former CEO of the Democratic National Committee, former executive director of EMILY’s List.
 
Congressman Joseph J. Heck (NV-03), former member of Congress (2011 to 2017), 2016 Republican nominee for U.S. Senate in Nevada.
 
John Noonan, senior counselor for military & defense affairs with Senator Tom Cotton (R-AR), national security advisor to the presidential campaigns of Governor Jeb Bush and Governor Mitt Romney.
 
Brittany Packnett, vice president of national community alliances and engagement at Teach for America, co-founder of Campaign Zero.
 
Margaret Talev, senior White House correspondent for Bloomberg News and CNN political analyst, past president of the White House Correspondents' Association.
 
Resident Fellows live on-campus and hold weekly study groups on topics that include women in politics, the intersection of national security and politics, the future of social change, presidential communication, and bipartisanship and the process of governing. The Resident Fellows are actively engaged in campus life and also hold weekly office hours for students.
 
In addition, an innovative new study group, entitled Politics, Potholes, and Public Service, will be co-led by three former mayors:
 
Mayor Mitch Landrieu, New Orleans (2010 to 2018).
Mayor Michael Nutter, Philadelphia (2008 to 2016).
Mayor Antonio Villaraigosa, Los Angeles (2005 to 2013).
 
This study group will be offered weekly and focus on mayoral leadership, local government, and related topics. These mayors will serve as IOP Visiting Fellows and make regular and comprehensive visits to campus during the fall semester and academic year, allowing students unprecedented access to these top elected leaders.
 
 “The Fellows and Study Groups program bridges the divide between the classroom and the working world. This group of civic leaders and political professionals will give students candid, practical insight into politics and public service through weekly study groups and office hours. This is the kind of programming that benefits students during their time on campus and long after they leave, and we are excited to be welcoming this group to the IOP,” said Fellows and Study Groups program student co-chairs Abby Bloomfield ‘20 and Shreeya Panigrahi ’19.
 

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