Beasley and Jean-Pierre named 2026-27 Brooks Distinguished Policy Fellows

Karine Jean-Pierre, 35th White House Press Secretary and former senior advisor to President Joe Biden, and Gov. David Beasley, former governor of South Carolina and past Executive Director of the UN World Food Programme, have been named the 2026-27 Distinguished Policy Fellows at the Cornell Jeb E. Brooks School of Public Policy.

As Brooks Distinguished Policy Fellows, Jean-Pierre and Beasley will visit the Cornell campuses in Ithaca and Washington D.C. over the course of the academic year to guest lecture, host student office hours on careers in public policy and contemporary policy issues, and connect with faculty on research aligned with their expertise.

"I'm excited to welcome Karine back to the Brooks School following her terrific visit last year and to bring Gov. Beasley to Ithaca for the first time," said Dean Colleen Barry. "As distinguished leaders with experience in regional, national and international political affairs, they bring different perspectives to issues and subjects at the forefront of our minds today. The purpose of this program is to expose our students to people who have built careers for the public good, so they can share their valuable insights and experiences. In Karine, we have someone who lived and breathed life in the Oval Office and, in Gov. Beasley, someone who received the Nobel Peace Prize on behalf of a global organization he led."

Prior to becoming White House Press Secretary, Jean-Pierre served as deputy press secretary and chief of staff for U.S. vice presidential candidate Kamala Harris during the 2020 presidential campaign and as the senior advisor and national spokeswoman for the progressive advocacy group MoveOn.org.

Jean-Pierre, who earned an MPA from Columbia University's SIPA program, visited Cornell at the invitation of Dean Barry in 2025, and spent time visiting classrooms, interacting with student fellows from the Institute on Politics and Global Affairs (IOPGA), and headlining an event sponsored by the Black in Public Policy student group.

"I am so pleased to be able to return to Brooks and work with Cornell's amazing public policy students again," said Jean-Pierre. "It's important that we pass our experiences and knowledge to the next generation of leaders and help them to understand what it's like to work in public service careers."

Gov. Beasley began his career of public service by being elected to the South Carolina House of Representatives at the age of 21, later going on to serve as Governor of South Carolina from 1995 to 1999. His time as governor culminated with his removal of the Confederate flag from the capitol dome in Columbia. Following the governorship, Gov. Beasley began inviting foreign leaders from conflict-ridden countries to his family farm to help foster peaceful dialogues.

In 2017, Gov. Beasley became the Executive Director of the UN World Food Programme, continuing in the role during the COVID-19 pandemic through his nomination to the role by both Republican and Democratic presidents. In 2020, WFP received the Nobel Peace Prize. Governor Beasley gave the Nobel lecture in Oslo on behalf of the organization.

"As someone who has led a state government and a global organization, I've gained a perspective I am excited to share with the students. I thank Dean Barry for the opportunity to join Cornell and the Brooks School in this dynamic learning atmosphere," Beasley said.