Senior Advisory Committee

For more than 50 years, members of the Kennedy family have played an active and defining role at the Institute of Politics on the Senior Advisory Committee. Their dedication and commitment to the mission of the Institute have spanned generations and decades. The IOP is grateful for the guidance and leadership of Mrs. Jacqueline Kennedy, Senator Robert F. Kennedy, Senator Edward M. Kennedy, and President Kennedy’s two children John F. Kennedy Jr. and Ambassador Caroline Kennedy.

From its founding as a living memorial to President Kennedy, the Institute has benefited from the counsel and engagement of the Senior Advisory Committee, a bipartisan group of distinguished individuals who have held roles in elected office, public service, and journalism.

The expertise, experiences, and connections of the members of the Senior Advisory Committee provide counsel to strengthen the Institute’s ability to inspire Harvard undergraduates to pursue pathways in politics and public service. The Senior Advisory Committee convenes bi-annually to focus on topics prominent on the Institute’s agenda—in areas such as student programming, internship opportunities, and the changing landscape of today’s civic life. The Institute is grateful for the continued dedication of Senior Advisory Members, both past and present, for their commitment to using their networks and expertise to provide opportunities for students.

The Institute of Politics Senior Advisory Committee includes the following current and former public servants:

Michael Nutter, Chair
Mayor, City of Philadelphia (2008 – 2016)

David Axelrod 
Former Director, University of Chicago Institute of Politics
Former Senior Advisor to President Barack Obama

Maj. Gen. Charles Frank Bolden Jr. 
Former Administrator of the National Aeronautics and Space Administration
United States Marine Corps - Retired

LaTosha Brown 
Co-Founder, Black Voters Matter Fund

Alex Burns '08 
Head of News at Politico

Joseph Kennedy III HLS '09
Former U.S. Representative from Massachusetts' 4th District (D) 
Special Envoy to Northern Ireland for Economic Affairs
 
Susan Molinari 
Former Vice President of Public Policy and Government Affairs, Google
Former U.S. Representative from New York's 13th District (R)

Abby Phillip '10 
CNN Senior Political Correspondent
Anchor of NewsNight with Abby Phillip

Michelle Wu '07, HLS '12 
Mayor, City of Boston

The Institute of Politics honors the late John C. Culver '54 as Chair Emeritus; Congressman William Delahunt; and Alice Stewart.