Duke alumnus Jeff Harris has been named director of Duke in Washington and associate director of federal relations for the university, said Christopher Simmons, associate vice president for federal relations.
Harris is currently the senior manager for public affairs and policy program communications at the Aspen Institute where he manages public outreach, social media, media relations and other communications responsibilities. Harris has worked with major media outlets, corporations and foundations to advance the institute's initiatives.
Prior to working with the Aspen Institute, he worked for President Obama's first Inaugural Committee, the Center for American Progress and various state and national political campaigns. He is a 2007 Duke public policy graduate and earned a master's in public management degree from Johns Hopkins University.
"Jeff's broad experiences in DC, familiarity with Duke, expertise in promoting public policy and general knowledge of politics made him an obvious choice to lead Duke in the next stage of our growth in Washington," Simmons said. All those who met with Jeff during the search process were impressed with his strategic thinking, creativity, political acumen, media experience, sense of humor and pride of Duke."
Harris will join Alyssa Dack, assistant director of Duke in Washington, and the federal relations office on June 8. He succeeds Landy Elliott, who joined federal relations in 2008 and who is the first director of the Duke in Washington office. The office opened in 2012.