Chief Pollster, Campaign Manager, Tech Reporter: Meet the Spring Class of GU Politics Fellows

As we enter our 10th year, we are excited to announce the Georgetown Institute of Politics and Public Service (GU Politics) Spring 2025 Fellows Class, our 20th class of fellows. This semester's class will bring decades of experience in politics, government, public policy and journalism to the Hilltop, and come from across the political spectrum.

While the individual Fellows have their own area of focus and expertise, they are united in the common goal of working directly with Georgetown students to advance the common good, bolster our democratic institutions and lead with a service-oriented passion for a purpose larger than oneself.

Over the course of the semester, members of the Georgetown community will have the opportunity to engage with the Fellows in discussion groups, case studies, one-on-one conversations, and even site visits across town - providing a unique behind the scenes look at how D.C. really operates. We can't wait for all the exciting things to unfold this semester and invite you to join us here at GU Politics - we promise there is never a dull moment.

Please join us in welcoming our Spring 2025 Fellows!

Tony Fabrizio (P'07, P'13)

Chief Pollster, Donald Trump for President (2016, 2020 & 2024)

Discussion Group Topic: America First Movement: From Political Fringe to Governing Majority

Tony Fabrizio is widely recognized as an expert in public opinion and politics and is one of the nation's leading Republican pollsters and strategists. He has helped elect Presidents and Prime Ministers on five continents. Fabrizio has served as the Chief Pollster and Strategist on five U.S. Presidential campaigns, including President Donald Trump's 2016 and 2024 victories. Additionally in 2024, Fabrizio served as pollster for newly re-elected Sen. Marsha Blackburn (R-TN), Senators-elect Jim Justice (WV) and Bernie Moreno (OH), and the official SuperPAC for Tim Sheehy (MT). Over the course of his 40-year career, he's also helped elect dozens of U.S. Senators, including Senate Minority Leader Mitch McConnell, scores of Congressmen, and numerous Governors and other Statewide elected officials.

Quentin Fulks

Principal Deputy Campaign Manager, Biden/Harris & Harris/Walz

Discussion Group Topic: Election 2024: Now What?

Quentin Fulks is a nationally recognized campaign manager and political strategist. Fulks served as the Principal Deputy Campaign Manager for both the Biden/Harris and Harris/Walz 2024 presidential campaigns. Prior to these postings, Fulks was a resident fellow at Harvard's Institute of Politics. Fulks also served as the campaign manager for the re-election of Senator Reverend Raphael Warnock in his home state of Georgia in 2022. Prior to leading Warnock's campaign, Fulks served as a senior political advisor and Deputy Campaign Manager for JB Pritzker's successful 2018 gubernatorial bid.

Don Graves (L'95)

Deputy Secretary of Commerce, Biden Administration; Former Domestic and Economic Policy Director, Vice President Joe Biden

Discussion Group Topic: Politics, Policy and the Realities of Trying to Deliver for the American People

Don Graves is the 19th Deputy Secretary of Commerce where he serves as the Chief Operating Officer of the Department, leading on issues including national security, industrial strategy and place-based economic development. Graves also serves as the Economic Growth Coordinator for Puerto Rico and a Commissioner of the Helsinki Commission. Most recently, Graves served as Counselor to President Joe Biden during the 2020 presidential campaign. During the Obama-Biden Administration, Graves served as Deputy Assistant to the President and Domestic and Economic Policy Director for then-Vice President Biden.

Cecilia Kang

National Technology Correspondent, The New York Times

Discussion Group Topic: AI Democracy and the Race for Global Domination

Cecilia Kang is an award-winning Technology Correspondent at The New York Times, with an expertise in the intersection of technology and public policy. She is also the co-author of "An Ugly Truth: Inside Facebook's Battle for Domination," a New York Times bestseller that exposes the social media giant's role in spreading misinformation, fomenting violence, and undermining democracy. Cecilia has over 20 years of experience in journalism, covering U.S. and international technology, economics, and business news. Cecilia's reporting focus is on the global race to dominate artificial intelligence and the vast lobbying campaign by tech giants to stave off regulations. She was part of a team at The New York Times that won the Gerald Loeb and George Polk awards for their coverage of Facebook, and were finalists for the Pulitzer Prize.

Meg Kinnard (F'02)

National Politics Reporter, The Associated Press

Discussion Group Topic: Judging Journalism: Exploring Trustworthiness in Media

Meg Kinnard (SFS '02) is a national politics reporter, currently in her 20th year with The Associated Press. Most recently, she covered the 2024 presidential campaign with a focus on the GOP presidential primary. Before joining AP, Kinnard previously covered Congress and campaign advertising for National Journal in D.C., also traveling to both presidential nominating conventions in the 2004 cycle. A native of Memphis, Tennessee, she grew up in a political family and received a BSFS in International Politics with a concentration in International Security Studies, from the Edmund A. Walsh School of Foreign Service at Georgetown University.

Heather Nauert

Former State Department Spokesperson, Trump Administration; Former Journalist and Anchor, Fox News and ABC News

Discussion Group Topic: American Foreign Policy in Trump 2.0

Heather Nauert is a senior communications advisor to corporations and government officials, specializing in high-stakes communications. For nearly 20 years, Heather reported on domestic and foreign news for Fox News Channel and ABC News. In 2017, President Trump named her spokesperson for the U.S. Department of State where she served until 2019, reporting to Secretaries Mike Pompeo and Rex Tillerson. In 2018, she was named acting under secretary for public diplomacy and public affairs. In her dual role, she articulated U.S. foreign policy and coordinated public messaging for the department. She traveled with the Secretary of State and planned, executed, and oversaw communications on all top initiatives, including negotiations with Kim Jong Un in North Korea.

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The GU Politics Fellows offer students a rare peek behind the curtain into the way politics and public service actuallywork. Students will be challenged, informed and inspired through weekly discussion groups, office hours and small group conversations. Opportunities to engage are open to all Georgetown students.

Want to get involved with our Fellows?

• Attend their discussion groups | For eight weeks, our Fellows host weekly 90-minute, off-the-record discussions with members of the Georgetown community. You'll talk about big ideas and the specific details needed to put them into practice… and be shocked by the special guests and experts they'll bring. Discussion groups begin the week of September 23. Read their discussion group topics.
• Visit them in office hours | Imagine being mentored by politicos at the top of their field. Hang out with our Fellows one-on-one to chat about news of the day and how to get your start in public service or answers to your burning questions about behind-the-scenes moments in politics you can't hear anywhere else. This opportunity is open to all Georgetown students and faculty. Office hours begin the week of January 27.
• Join their Student Strategy Teams | Collaborate closely with one of the Fellows by joining their team of five students who craft discussion group topics, help with research and campus outreach, and partner with the Fellow to brainstorm fresh ideas to make politics work better. Learn more and apply.

Mark your calendar for our Meet the Fellows Open House - the first chance to meet these leaders in person, learn more about their backgrounds and hear what they have planned for the semester. The Fellows open house will be held on Thursday, January 23, 2024, from 4:30 - 6:00 pm in Healey Family Student Center Social Room.

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