Former Biden Cabinet Secretaries Mayorkas, Raimondo Join Harvard IOP as Fall Fellows

Former Homeland Security Alejandro N. Mayorkas and former Commerce Secretary Gina M. Raimondo ’93 will join the Institute of Politics this fall as part of a cohort of six resident fellows and one visiting fellow announced Wednesday.

Mayorkas — whose appointment as a resident fellow The Crimson first reported in July — will be joined by five other resident fellows: former U.N. Ambassador Kelly D. Craft, former Arizona Governor Doug A. Ducey, former U.N. Ambassador for Management and Reform Chris P. Lu, former U.S. Ambassador to Croatia Nathalie Rayes, and author and Vanity Fair contributing writer Chris C. Whipple. Raimondo will serve as the program’s sole visiting fellow.

The slate tilts heavily toward government experience, with five of the six resident fellows having held senior government posts. Whipple, the lone journalist among the resident fellows, has written extensively about the presidency.

“The Fellows Program has been at the heart of the IOP since its founding 60 years ago, giving students a rare opportunity to learn directly from leaders and practitioners who have shaped public life,” IOP Director Betsy Fischer Martin said in the release.

“At a consequential moment in American politics and world affairs, I’m especially excited for our students to engage with these Fellows, ask hard questions, challenge their own thinking, and learn from the experiences that have defined each of their distinguished careers,” she added.

The incoming fellows said they plan to draw on their experiences in government and politics to discuss issues ranging from diplomacy and economic policy to immigration, cybersecurity, and democracy.

Craft, who served as U.N. ambassador from 2019 to 2021, said her decades of diplomatic experience have taught her that the work often comes down to “untangling seemingly impossible knots,” and that she looks forward to tackling policy challenges alongside students.

Other fellows struck broader themes.

Ducey, who led Arizona from 2015 to 2023, said he hopes to discuss governing, leadership, and economic opportunity, while Lu said he plans to explore the relationship between domestic and international politics with students.

Mayorkas and Rayes emphasized issues closely tied to their work in national security and diplomacy.

Mayorkas, who led the Department of Homeland Security from 2021 to 2025, said he plans to engage students on counterterrorism, cybersecurity, immigration, and extreme weather. Rayes, who served as ambassador to Croatia from 2024 to 2025, said she hopes to draw on her career to discuss diplomacy, democracy, and public leadership.

Raimondo and Whipple, meanwhile, focused on public service and political power.

Raimondo, who led the Commerce Department from 2021 to 2025, said she looks forward to spending time with students “who are embarking on careers in public service” amid a rapidly evolving policy landscape. Whipple said he looks forward to sharing what he has learned about how power works behind closed doors.

Michael A. Nutter, chair of the IOP’s Senior Advisory Committee and a former mayor of Philadelphia, said the Fellows Program’s value lies in the extended time students get to spend with veteran political figures.

“Those candid conversations about decisions made, lessons learned, and what leadership looks like in practice are an invaluable part of the IOP experience,” he said.

Anoushka Lal ’28 and Samantha Ruazol ’27, co-chairs of the IOP’s Fellows and Study Groups Program, said the cohort will help students form lasting connections amid major political moments this fall, including the midterm elections.

“We look forward to learning together in Study Groups, challenging each other over dinners, and bonding through Harvard traditions like Head of the Charles,” they said.

—Staff writer Jen L. Phan can be reached at [email protected] and Signal at jenphan.74. Follow her on X at @jenllphan.