In this issue:
· Exemplars In Policymaking – Patrick Steel, Stacey Abrams, and Gene Dodaro
· Policy Apprenticeship Update – The Speaker Calls!
· MGPS Visibility – 2018 FIFA Word Cup Watch Parties
· #LBJinDC on the Hill
· Diversity Initiative – PPIA
· Reception for Former President Bill Clinton at USIP
Exemplars in Policymaking
The 2018 LBJ DC Fellows paid a visit to the headquarters of online political and policy magazine, POLITICO, to meet with its CEO, Patrick Steel. Patrick discussed his career at the White House, the Departments of Agriculture and Education, as an investment banker, and now media executive, before answering policy questions from the DC Concentration grad students.
The Center welcomed LBJ School alumna, Stacey Abrams ‘98, to the DC Concentration’s Exemplars in Policymaking course on July 12 to discuss her policy, political, personal and career insights and challenges. Ms. Abrams is a former Minority Leader of the Georgia House of Representatives and the current Democratic nominee for Governor of Georgia. If successful, she will be the first woman African-American governor in American history.
The DC Concentration cohort traveled to the U.S. General Accountability Office (GAO) for a discussion with Comptroller of the United States and GAO head, Gene Dodaro. LBJ alumna and leader of the GAO’s Professional Development Program, Terri Russell – a former PPIA and Barbara Jordan Fellow – also participated.
Below are all the Exemplars in Policymaking for the Fall and Summer DC semesters. As always, interested LBJ School students, alumni, staff and faculty are invited to sit in on select sessions. If an Exemplar session interests you, then please send a note to the Center’s Deputy Director, Robin Boone, at rboone@utexas.edu.
Summer 2018
June 15 - Bill Hughes, LBJ alumnus and Policy Director for U.S. House Majority Whip Steve Scalise (R-LA)
June 22 - Rachel Hoff, LBJ alumna and Communications Director and Policy Adviser at the U.S Senate Committee on Armed Services (Majority)
July 12 - Stacey Abrams, LBJ alumna and former Minority Leader of the Georgia House of Representatives, and Democratic candidate for Governor of Georgia
July 20 - Patrick Steel, CEO of the online politics and policy magazine, POLITICO
July 27 - Gene Dodaro, Comptroller General of the United States and head of the Government Accountability Office (GAO)
August 3 - Donald Kettl, LBJ Professor and former Dean of the University of Maryland School of Public Policy
Fall 2018
August 30 - The Honorable Ben Barnes, former Lieutenant Governor of the State of Texas and Vice Chairman of the LBJ Foundation
September 7 - The Honorable Thomas "Mack" McLarty III, former White House Chief of Staff and current Chairman of McLarty Associates
September 14 - Jenn Yates, former Manager of Campaigns and Advocacy for the Food and Environment Program at the Union of Concerned Scientists
September 21 - Margaret Weichert, Deputy Director for Management at the Office of Management and Budget (OMB)
September 28 - Stan Greenberg, Founding Partner at Greenberg Quinlan Rosner Research
October 12 - Denise Grant and Frank Raines, former head of the Washington DC office of international recruiting firm, Russell Reynolds, and former Director of the Office of Management and Budget (OMB) within the Executive Office of the President (EOP)
October 26 - Martin Frost (D-TX) and Tom Davis (R-VA,) former Chairs of the Democratic Congressional Campaign Committee (DCCC) and the National Republican Congressional Committee (NRCC)
November 2 - Mark Updegrove, CEO and President of the LBJ Foundation
Policy Apprenticeship Update - The Speaker Calls!
The office of the Speaker of the U.S. House of Representatives contacted the Center offering to host a 2018 LBJ DC Fellow in a Policy Apprenticeship during the Fall 2018 semester. DC Concentration student and Austrian Fulbright Fellow, Roman Pable, originally performing his entire 6-month Policy Apprenticeship at the Atlantic Council, received the Council’s permission to split his PA between the Council and the Speaker’s office. Below is an updated list of where the 2018 DC Concentration students are undertaking their required Policy Apprenticeships.
2019 LBJ DC Fellows – Policy Apprenticeships
Audrey Brandl, Aspen Institute, National Commission on Social, Emotional and Academic Development
Nina Guidice, Dcode, Accelerator Program
Kelley Lane, Office of Management and Budget, Office of Performance and Personnel Policy
Melanie Levine, World Cocoa Foundation, Worldwide Programs
Chad Michaels, The Livingston Group, Government Relations, Public Affairs, and Advocacy
Roman Pable, Atlantic Council, Scowcroft Center for Strategy and Security / Office of the Speaker of the U.S. House of Representatives, Legislative Research
Laura Santos, U.S. House Budget Committee (Minority,) Office of the Staff Director
Kimberly Schuster, Center for Strategic and International Studies, Russia and Eurasian Program
Caleb Seibert, American Enterprise Institute, Poverty Studies / Human Dignity Project
Elaina Stephenson, Human Rights First, Veterans for American Ideals
Justin Thompson, Data Quality Campaign, Policy and Advocacy (Education)
Sam Wojcicki, U.S. Congressman Paul Tonko, Sustainable Energy & Environment Coalition
2018 FIFA World Cup MGPS Degree Visibility Events
The Center showcased the School’s MGPS degree program through a series of 2018 FIFA World Cup soccer viewing receptions, including the Final match on July 14, which drew over 100 attendees.
#LBJinDC on the Hill
Just how many LBJ folks does it take to pull off a successful Congressional hearing?!
At least 3, apparently: one at the witness table, one for the Republicans, and one for the Democrats. The Subcommittee on Environment of the U.S. House Committee on Energy and Commerce held a hearing recently on the Renewable Fuel Standard (#SubEnvironment Examines RINs under the Renewable Fuel Standard.) Look who was involved:
- Expert Witness Brent D. Yacobucci, Congressional Research Service, teaches in The LBJ School of Public Affairs DC Concentration.
- LBJ School of Public Affairs alumnus Wyatt Ellertson (MPAff-DC Concentration 2016) staffed the hearing. Wyatt was hired by the full Committee (Majority) after completing his 6-month, 32-hours per week Policy Apprenticeship with the Energy and Power Subcommittee.
- LBJ DC Fellow Sam Wojcicki (MPAff-DC Concentration 2018) is currently undertaking his Policy Apprenticeship in the Office of U.S. Congressman Paul Tonko. Mr. Tonko is the Ranking Minority Member on the Environment Subcommittee.
Learn about the DC Concentration here.
Reception for Former President Clinton at USIP
Deputy Director Robin Boone represented the DC Center at an invitation-only reception dedicating a building to the former President at the U.S. Institute for Peace. Jazz legend Herbie Hancock provided musical entertainment.