Institute of Politics at Harvard Kennedy School Announces Fall 2026 Fellows

August 19, 2026
Press Contact:
Brigid O'Rourke
brigid_orourke@hks.harvard.edu

Introduction

CAMBRIDGE, MA - The Institute of Politics (IOP) at Harvard Kennedy School today announced the appointment of six Resident Fellows and one Visiting Fellow who will join the IOP for the Fall 2026 semester. The cohort brings experience spanning diplomacy, national security, elected office, public policy, and political journalism.

The Resident Fellows are Kelly Craft, Doug Ducey, Chris Lu, Alejandro Mayorkas, Nathalie Rayes, and Chris Whipple. Former Commerce Secretary Gina Raimondo will join the IOP as a Visiting Fellow.

“The Fellows Program has been at the heart of the IOP since its founding 60 years ago, giving students a rare opportunity to learn directly from leaders and practitioners who have shaped public life,” said IOP Director Betsy Fischer Martin. “At a consequential moment in American politics and world affairs, I’m especially excited for our students to engage with these Fellows, ask hard questions, challenge their own thinking, and learn from the experiences that have defined each of their distinguished careers.”

“One of the things that makes the Fellows Program so valuable is the chance for students to spend real time with people who bring decades of experience in politics and public service,” said Michael Nutter, Chair of the IOP’s Senior Advisory Committee and former Mayor of Philadelphia. “Those candid conversations about decisions made, lessons learned, and what leadership looks like in practice are an invaluable part of the IOP experience.”

“This semester, students will have the privilege of not only experiencing key events – like the midterm elections – with this impressive group but forming the lifelong connections that are a hallmark of the program. We look forward to learning together in Study Groups, challenging each other over dinners, and bonding through Harvard traditions like Head of the Charles,” said Anoushka Lal and Samantha Ruazol, co-chairs of the IOP’s Fellows and Study Groups program.

IOP Resident Fellows live on campus for the semester and become part of the Harvard community, mentoring students, holding weekly office hours and leading eight-week study groups that draw on their experience and expertise. Students will have the opportunity to explore topics including diplomacy and statecraft, governing in a divided America, national political parties, the judiciary, and how public policy is shaped. 

Visiting Fellows come to campus for shorter stays, engaging with students through discussions, special events and other IOP programming.

Fall 2026 Resident Fellows

Fall 2026 Visiting Fellow

Brief bios and quotes can be found below. Headshots are available upon request.

Ambassador Kelly Craft
Craft served as the U.S. Ambassador to the United Nations from 2019 until 2021. While leading the U.S. Mission to the United Nations, she oversaw the implementation of the Abraham Accords. She also served as the U.S. Ambassador to Canada from 2017 until 2019, where she worked on negotiations surrounding the United States-Mexico-Canada Agreement (USMCA).

Craft has served on numerous boards, currently including the Alliance for Responsible Citizenship (ARC), the Institute for the Study of War (ISW) and the Canadian American Business Council Advisory Board. She also serves as an advisor to Saronic Technologies, a maritime defense company focusing on autonomous vessels.

She serves on the University of Kentucky Board of Trustees and co-founded the Morehead State University Craft Academy for Excellence in Science and Mathematics and the Craft Innovation Campus at the Boys & Girls Club of Glasgow-Barren County.

"Having served in a diplomatic capacity three times for two Presidents over a couple of decades, I have picked up a few things about the art of diplomacy. For one, it’s often about untangling seemingly impossible knots. As an IOP Fellow, I can’t wait to engage with our world’s future leaders on tackling some of the greatest challenges that impact us. Considering the breadth and depth of experience of the cohort, I am confident that together we will be able to untangle some substantial knots in policy."

Governor Doug Ducey
Ducey was elected the 23rd Governor of Arizona in 2014 and was reelected for a second term in 2018. Before becoming governor, he served as Arizona State Treasurer from 2011 to 2015. Earlier in his career, Ducey worked in sales and marketing management at Procter & Gamble and served as the CEO of Cold Stone Creamery. There, he led the expansion of the ice cream franchise from a single store into a global brand with more than 1,400 locations across the United States and 10 other countries.

As governor, his administration enacted the nation's lowest flat income tax, introduced a first-in-the-nation requirement that students pass a civics test before graduating from high school, eliminated burdensome occupational licensing requirements, and removed or improved more than 3,365 regulations. He also established Empowerment Scholarship Accounts and universal school choice. During his tenure, Taiwan Semiconductor Manufacturing Company selected Arizona for a planned $12 billion advanced semiconductor facility in Phoenix.

Ducey joined other Arizona officials in certifying the state’s 2020 election results, reaffirming the rule of law and the integrity of the state's electoral process.

While serving as governor, Ducey was elected by his peers to serve as Chairman of the Republican Governors Association and became the first governor since Ronald Reagan to serve multiple terms in that role.

"I'm honored to join the Harvard Institute of Politics as a Resident Fellow. Throughout my career in business and public service, I've believed that the best leaders are lifelong learners who aren't afraid to engage with different perspectives. I'm looking forward to candid conversations with Harvard students about governing, leadership, economic opportunity, and the responsibility we all share in strengthening our institutions. I hope to challenge students to think boldly, lead with integrity, and find practical solutions that make a real difference in people's lives."

Ambassador Chris Lu
Chris Lu is a public servant and diplomat whose career has spanned the White House, United Nations, Congress, and a Cabinet department. Twice confirmed by the U.S. Senate for senior presidential appointments, he has held leadership roles encompassing domestic and foreign policy, presidential transitions, and the management of complex government institutions.

Most recently, Lu served as U.S. Ambassador to the United Nations for Management and Reform, where he led negotiations on the UN budget, coordinated oversight of UN programs, and spearheaded the first-ever UN General Assembly resolution on artificial intelligence.

During the Obama Administration, Lu served as U.S. Deputy Secretary of Labor and chief operating officer of a department with 17,000 employees and a $12 billion budget. Earlier, he was White House Cabinet Secretary and Assistant to the President. Lu served as legislative director and acting chief of staff for then-Senator Obama. Following the 2008 election, he was executive director of the Obama-Biden transition planning efforts.

Lu is currently the James R. Schlesinger Distinguished Professor at the University of Virginia Miller Center and board chair of the Fair Labor Association. He recently co-chaired the transition for Virginia Governor Abigail Spanberger and was appointed to the board of the Virginia Economic Development Partnership.

"Now more than ever, we need to inspire the next generation to pursue public service. I’m excited by the opportunity to return to Harvard to share with students some of the leadership lessons I’ve learned over the course of my career. I’m also looking forward to exploring with them the dynamics between politics and policy, and between the domestic and international challenges facing our country."

Secretary Alejandro N. Mayorkas
Alejandro N. Mayorkas most recently served as the U.S. Secretary of Homeland Security. In that position, he led 260,000 employees in a diverse set of missions, including counterterrorism and physical security, cybersecurity, artificial intelligence, trade and travel, immigration, and response to natural disasters. He has traveled the globe, negotiating key security agreements with world leaders as the interests of homeland security and national security increasingly have converged.

Mayorkas’s tenure as Secretary of Homeland Security marks a capstone in a more than 20-year public service career in which he has held four different United States Senate-confirmed positions in the administrations of three Presidents. His public service career began with his work as a federal prosecutor in the United States Attorney’s Office in Los Angeles, where he distinguished himself as a trial lawyer and rose to become the first United States Attorney to be promoted from within the office and the youngest United States Attorney in the nation.

In the private sector, Mayorkas has been named one of the 50 most influential minority lawyers in the country. He has advised boards of directors and top executives, represented Fortune 100 and other companies in their highest-profile and most sensitive matters, and helped lead civic organizations dedicated to the public interest.

"The issues of homeland security are complex and diverse, touching our everyday lives and the life of our nation. From counterterrorism to cyber and AI security; violent extremism to online safety; immigration to extreme weather; the fight against forced labor and human trafficking, to travel and event security, and the cutting-edge technologies to achieve them; and so much more. I am eager to engage with our future leaders on the full array of these critical issues."

Secretary Gina Raimondo
Gina M. Raimondo is the Co-Chair and CEO of RAISE US, a national, nonpartisan organization partnering with states, employers, training partners, and workers to help Americans make a successful transition to an AI economy.

Previously, she served as the 40th U.S. Secretary of Commerce where she focused on making America more competitive by driving job creation, fostering innovation, and strengthening national security. While Secretary, the Department of Commerce made historic investments in Internet access, manufacturing, workforce training, and climate readiness through initiatives like the Bipartisan Infrastructure Law, the CHIPS Act, and the Inflation Reduction Act.

Raimondo oversaw $39 billion in incentives for chip manufacturing, $40 billion in broadband grants, and significant investments in climate resilience and minority business support. She also led efforts on AI development, launching the U.S. AI Safety Institute and establishing the international network of AI Safety Institutes. She has been recognized as one of TIME's Most Influential People and is known for her role in advancing national security through technology and international cooperation.

Prior to becoming Secretary, Raimondo served as the 75th Governor of Rhode Island, where she focused on economic development, infrastructure, and education. During her time in office, Rhode Island became the first state to offer tuition-free community college for all high school graduates. She also served as Chair of the Democratic Governors Association, significantly boosting fundraising and strategic efforts.

"We face a wide range of rapidly evolving challenges, and young people's passion, engagement, and leadership will bring forward new ideas and solutions. I'm looking forward to spending time with Harvard IOP students who are embarking on careers in public service."

Ambassador Nathalie Rayes
Nathalie Rayes is the former U.S. Ambassador to the Republic of Croatia. As ambassador, she strengthened the bilateral relationship between two NATO allies, advanced transatlantic cooperation, promoted economic partnerships, and deepened people-to-people ties.

Previously, she served as Deputy Chief of Staff to Los Angeles Mayor James K. Hahn, leading the Mayor’s international trade, protocol, and international affairs portfolio and helping expand Los Angeles’ global engagement. She later joined Grupo Salinas in the United States as Vice President of Public Affairs and Executive Director of Fundación Azteca America, where she led corporate affairs, strategic partnerships, and philanthropic initiatives while building partnerships across the business, government, and nonprofit sectors.

As President and CEO of Latino Victory, she led one of the nation’s premier organizations dedicated to increasing Latino civic participation and representation in public office. She also founded the American-Mexican Leadership Council, the Venezuelan American Caucus, and the HOPE Binational Fellowship, and helped launch the Aspen Institute’s Latinos and Society Program and Aspen México.

Ambassador Rayes is a Non-Resident Senior Fellow at the Atlantic Council’s Adrienne Arsht Latin America Center. She also serves on the Board of Directors of the Robert & Ethel Kennedy Human Rights Center, the Hispanic Federation, and the UCLA Luskin School of Public Affairs. She is also a member of the Council on Foreign Relations.

"I am honored to join the Institute of Politics. Throughout my career, I have seen firsthand that leadership is about service, courage, and bringing people together across differences. I look forward to engaging with Harvard students on diplomacy, democracy, and public leadership while learning from the next generation of leaders who will help shape our country’s future. I also look forward to welcoming distinguished voices from across sectors who share this commitment."

Chris Whipple
Chris Whipple is an author, political analyst, and documentary filmmaker. As a Contributing Writer for Vanity Fair, he has profiled Donald Trump’s White House chief of staff Susie Wiles and many other powerful newsmakers. Whipple’s books include the New York Times bestsellers Uncharted: How Trump Beat Biden, Harris, and the Odds in the Wildest Campaign in History; The Gatekeepers: How the White House Chiefs of Staff Define Every Presidency; and the critically-acclaimed The Spymasters: How the CIA Directors Shape History and the Future.

After stints at Foreign Policy and Newsweek, he spent eight years as a reporter at LIFE, covering stories ranging from famine in Somalia to apartheid in South Africa. In 1986 he became a producer at CBS News 60 Minutes, where he won a George Foster Peabody award. He later worked as a producer at ABC News PrimeTime Live, where he won multiple Emmy awards. In 2010 he started a documentary film company, CCWHIP Productions. He is the executive producer and writer of The Spymasters: CIA in the Crosshairs, on Showtime.

Whipple appears frequently on MS NOW, CNN, NPR, FOX News, and Sirius XM POTUS. He’s an associate fellow of Timothy Dwight College at Yale University.

"In my visits to the Kennedy School’s Institute of Politics, I’ve been inspired by the curiosity and enthusiasm of the students. I can’t wait to share with them what I’ve learned about how power works behind closed doors, and to introduce them to some outstanding public servants. It will be a privilege to get to know a new generation of leaders." Open configuration options

About the Institute of Politics Fellows Program
The Institute of Politics at Harvard Kennedy School was established in 1966 as a living memorial to President John F. Kennedy. The Institute’s mission is to unite and engage students, particularly undergraduates, with academics, politicians, activists, and policymakers on a non-partisan basis to inspire them to pursue pathways in politics and public service. The Institute blends the academic with practical politics and offers students the opportunity to engage in current events and to acquire skills and perspectives that will assist in their postgraduate pathways.

The Fellows Program has stood as the cornerstone of the IOP, encouraging student interest in public service and increasing the interaction between the academic and political communities. Through the Fellows Program, the Institute aims to provide students with the opportunity to learn from experienced public servants, the space to engage in civil discourse, and the chance to acquire a more holistic and pragmatic view of our political world.

For more information on the fellowship program, including a full list of former fellows, visit: iop.harvard.edu/fellows 

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