K. Russell DeGraff spent nearly two decades on Capitol Hill, culminating in 12 years as the chief climate and technology advisor to House Speaker Nancy Pelosi. DeGraff played a key role in helping Congress architect, enact, explain and enforce significant legislation. He also helped form coalitions and lead negotiations to enact policies and laws spanning administrations from different parties, reflecting his skill in bipartisan collaboration. DeGraff’s work included pivotal contributions to President Biden’s “Investing in America” jobs strategy, featuring landmark laws like the Inflation Reduction Act, the CHIPS & Science Act, and the Infrastructure Investment and Jobs Act.
Before his advisory role to Speaker Pelosi, DeGraff served as the Legislative Director and Assistant to Congressman Mike Doyle, focusing on sectors such as technology, healthcare, and consumer protection. Prior to working on the Hill, he was a Policy Analyst at Consumer Reports and was a Truman Scholar from Butler University. The focus of DeGraff’s Shorenstein Fellowship will be on the challenges American voters face in understanding how legislation in Congress affects them, and how they can engage with or benefit from these laws.
