People are Policy

That little phrase is simply an acknowledgment that the most innovative and powerful policy solutions can’t make a difference without talented, knowledgeable and determined people delivering on policy promises.

The first months of 2025 and the upheaval experienced across so many federal agencies brought with it an exodus of talented, knowledgeable, and determined experts from the federal government.

In this exodus, FAS saw an opportunity to complete some unfinished business.

We recognized that many of these individuals were doing incredible work, and we wanted to give them a place to land, continue their work and scale its impact. So we brought some of the most dynamic scientists, technologists, and public policy experts into our fold, providing them with a platform, resources, and our unique theory of driving towards positive policy impact.

This opportunity led to the creation of our inaugural Senior Fellows Program –  a cohort of five exceptional individuals who would each get the chance to design, develop and launch their own ambitious projects at FAS.

During an exciting six-month stretch, each member of the group – working in areas including energy affordability, digital transformation in government, and the future of the federal data infrastructure – laid foundations for projects and even movements aimed at building coalitions, shaping ongoing dialogues, and driving policy outcomes.

During this period, we also launched our Digital Service Alumni Fellowship in collaboration with Georgetown Tech & Society, and the participating cohort worked in close partnership with the Senior Fellows.

fundraised to build upon their work,

and in some cases, grown into go-to experts for reporters and popular podcasters looking to better understand some of the most important policy debates of the moment.

Our Senior Fellow Program was developed to provide a platform, resources, programming, and support to recently departed civil servants, helping them leverage their expertise to drive significant advancements in the world.

The new Senior Fellowship embodies FAS’s policy entrepreneurship model in action, and builds on our growing legacy of nurturing public policy talent at every stage of individuals’ careers, from early professionals who participate in our Policy Entrepreneurship Fellowships, to mid-career talents serving in government through our Impact Fellowships.

Over the past six months, our Senior Fellows have further established themselves as thought leaders and have shared their expertise,

they’ve hosted workshops, (and attended even more)

launched products,