Townsend McNitt

Strategic Consultant

Townsend McNitt has developed and implemented successful federal public policy and legislative strategies over fifteen years of service in the U.S. executive and legislative branches. An expert in federal education policy, McNitt's experience in federal education legislation is exceptional, having worked on education initiatives in the White House, the U.S. Department of Education and the U.S. Congress, participating in the reauthorization of every significant piece of education legislation since 1995, including the No Child Left Behind Act, the Individuals with Disabilities Education Act, and the Higher Education Act.

McNitt continues to advise extensively on U.S. federal education policy, serves as a member of the U.S. Department of Education's Fund for the Improvement of Postsecondary Education, and as an expert on education policy in the last three U.S. Presidential elections.

From 2005 to 2008, McNitt held senior positions in the U.S. Department of Education, both as Deputy Chief of Staff for Strategy and Communications, and as a senior consultant to the Secretary of Education. As Deputy Chief of Staff, she was responsible for developing legislative and communication strategies for key elementary and secondary education initiatives and higher education proposals. McNitt was instrumental in the creation of the Secretary of Education's Commission on the Future of Higher Education, whose recommendations continue to challenge the status quo and spur reforms. As a senior consultant to the Secretary of Education, she advised on a number of significant legislative, policy and communications issues critical to the on-going affairs of the Department.

Prior to serving at the U.S. Department of Education, McNitt served President Bush as a Special Assistant to the President in the White House Office of Legislative Affairs. As Special Assistant to the President, she was responsible for successfully promoting President Bush's domestic legislative agenda in the United States Senate during the President's first term. She was instrumental in the development and passage of several of the President's key legislative priorities in education, judiciary and faith-based initiatives, including the landmark "No Child Left Behind" education legislation.

In addition to significant roles at the U.S. Department of Education and in the White House, McNitt also has extensive experience working in the U.S. Senate. From 2001 to 2005, she served as Deputy Staff Director to former chairman Senator Judd Gregg (R-NH) with the U.S. Senate Health, Education, Labor and Pensions (H.E.L.P.) Committee, and earlier as the Republican Staff Director of that Committee. She advised the chairman on all matters before the committee, serving as the Senator's chief legislative and policy advisor, and helped set the committee's agenda and plan hearings and legislative activity. From 1998 - 2000 McNitt served as Administrative Assistant (AA) and Counsel to Senator Gregg. She began her Senate career as Counsel to the Senate H.E.L.P. Committee, Subcommittee on Children and Families, chaired by former Senator Dan Coats (R-IN).

McNitt is a 1993 graduate of Notre Dame Law School and a 1989 graduate of Gordon College.