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Faust Appoints VP for Government, Community, and Public Affairs

July 15, 2008

President Drew Faust appointed Christine Heenan, founder and president of Clarendon Group, a Providence, Rhode Island-based public and government relations firm…

Heenan, who holds a B.S. in journalism from Boston University, was a business strategy consultant, and then entered government, serving on the Domestic Policy Council staff during the first term of the Clinton administration, focusing on health and women’s issues and writing speeches. She had communications roles at the 1996 and 2000 Democratic national conventions, and was subsequently director of community and government relations at Brown University and Brown Medical School. She founded Clarendon Group in 2000. Her background and Clarendon’s work are described here.

In making the appointment, Faust said, “I am very pleased that Christine Heenan has agreed to serve in this role. Given Harvard’s active engagement with our neighbors, the increasing scrutiny of universities by policy makers at all levels, and the ever-present need to share with our own community and the broader public a sense of who we are and what we do, this position has never been more important. Christine brings a great deal of relevant experience in government and communications, a longstanding commitment to higher education, and a strong reputation for energetic leadership. I look forward very much to working with her in the years ahead.” The full text of the official announcement is available here.

Heenan succeeds Alan J. Stone.