360°Leadership
Navigating Complexity with Clarity, Courage, and Coalitions
Leadership demands more than skill—it demands a compass.
- My 360° leadership is shaped by decades of experience and hard-won insights across the public, private, academic, and strategic arenas. From Capitol Hill to the presidency of two universities—including a flagship AAU system—and now to the frontlines of global policy dialogue, I have led institutions through moments of turbulence and transformation.
- What ties these diverse roles together is not a job title, but a core leadership ethic: the belief that in times of uncertainty, we must act before the storm. As I share in my Strategic Compass, leadership is not about reacting to the moment—it’s about anticipating what’s coming. Seeking a 360° view of challenges and opportunities enables leaders to anticipate more wisely and align people, institutions, and ideas with purpose.
- Whether advancing bipartisan policy in Congress, leading universities through a global pandemic, or helping shape U.S. strategy amid rising authoritarian challenges, I’ve focused on anticipating what’s ahead and earning trust by uniting others around bold, forward-looking action.
⚖️ Leadership Across Divides
"I learned a tremendous amount from you in terms of managing many many different stakeholders...You were always a great diplomat in navigating...so many different viewpoints."
- Navigating complexity requires raising awareness for the urgency and benefits of action while listening across lines of difference. I bring a uniquely integrative perspective—combining policy fluency, strategic foresight, and an unwavering commitment to civic purpose. I have earned trust across party lines, in corporate boardrooms and faculty senates, among policymakers and students, domestically and internationally.
- As a first-generation college graduate and someone who has led many types of organizations through change, I bring a lived understanding of how institutions must evolve to meet the demands of a new era.
📚 Scholar-Practitioner Perspective
- My academic leadership is defined by a commitment to inclusive excellence, expanded access, elevated student success, technological innovation, and expanded research. My global scholarship—anchored in Shapeholders and advanced through strategic competition—has influenced policy at the highest levels and helped institutions align purpose with performance.
- My national service has focused on strengthening America’s role in the world—especially through geoeconomic statecraft, where government, business, technology, and defense converge. This includes work on development finance for infrastructure, resilient supply chains, and tech restrictions that protect U.S. leadership. As a Senior Fellow at CNA and a Civic Leader supporting the Secretary of the Air Force, I contribute directly to discussions on U.S. strategic posture, NATO, space, and safeguarding global trade routes.
- Whether leading through polarization, rebuilding institutional trust, or forging strategic alliances, my record is one of results—and resilience.
💫 Why It Matters
"In times of division, leadership must do more than manage—it must inspire, align, and deliver."
- Today’s leaders must do more than manage change—they must lead boldly at the intersection of trust, technology, and transformation. That requires the 360° vision to engage stakeholders across sectors, the courage to act in moments of consequence, and the discipline to align institutions with a purpose that endures.
- That’s why I believe in leading with a compass. And why I invite you to explore my Strategic Compass—the framework that has guided my leadership across roles, sectors, and storms.
🔍 Discover My 360° Leadership
🔑 Core Strengths
- 🔄 360° political vision across party lines
- 🤝 Aligning diverse stakeholders around common goals
- 🏛️ Engaging with shared governance in higher education
- 🌉 Bridging divides: red & blue, global & local, campus & community
🎯 Signature Themes
- 🌐 Geoeconomic Statecraft
- 🫱 Trust-Building in Divided Environments
- 🧠 Innovation Foresight
- ✨ Civic-Purpose-Driven Vision
🛡️ Trusted Across Sectors
- 🎓 Led two universities, including a flagship AAU system
- 🏛️ Directed the nation’s top school of applied politics
- 🇺🇸 Served in Congress during a time of global realignment
- 💼 Advise Fortune 200 companies and national security initiatives