About Us:
We serve as MIT’s “embassy” in Washington—providing policymakers with expertise and positions from MIT, and keeping the campus informed about relevant developments in the nation’s capital.
About the MIT Washington Office
Since its formation as part of the MIT President’s Office in 1991, the MIT Washington Office has been an advocate for federal support of research.
The Office has also helped MIT inform debate on a wide range of issues, from economic competitiveness to climate change. The MIT Washington Office works with administrators, faculty, staff and students on campus. In Washington, we work with Congress, the White House, federal agencies, university associations, think tanks and others endeavoring to shape federal policy.
Our staff plays an active role in campus-based policy initiatives, and helps those initiatives connect with policymakers in Washington. We also work with MIT students and student groups who wish to influence policy.
Our Team
Our staff plays an active role in campus-based policy initiatives, and helps those initiatives connect with policymakers in Washington. We also work with MIT students and student groups who wish to influence policy.
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Karen Knutson
Vice President for Government Affairs kknutson@mit.edu
As Vice President for Government Affairs, Knutson has oversight of the MIT Washington Office and the Office of Government and Community Relations. She is responsible for advancing the Institute’s educational and policy interests at the federal, state, city, and community levels and serves as the president’s senior advisor on government engagement.
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Brian Hendricks
Director
bhend12@mit.eduBrian Hendricks serves as the Director of MIT’s Washington Office. At the direction of the Vice President of Government Affairs, he is responsible for developing and enhancing close working relationships with the Federal government and Congressional offices as well as national higher education and science organizations for MIT faculty and administration, while overseeing the day-to-day operations of the Washington Office. He is a strategic advocate with decades of experience advancing science and technology policy at all levels of government.
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Hannah Frye
Senior Policy Advisor
hfrye@mit.edu
As the senior policy advisor, Hannah Frye focuses on health and biomedical research policy, working with such agencies as the National Institutes of Health, the Advanced Research Projects Agency for Health and the Food and Drug Administration and their related Congressional committees. -
Helen Haislmaier
Program Coordinator
helenh@mit.edu
Helen Haislmaier, program coordinator, supports the office director, helps arrange and schedule campus events and meetings, and recruits interns for the MIT Washington Office. -
Michael Wery Garcia
Executive Assistant to the Vice President of Government Affairs and Director
werq@mit.eduMichael Wery Garcia serves as the Executive Assistant to the Vice President of Government Affairs in the MIT Washington Office. He also serves as the main point of contact for the Washington office providing diverse administrative support to Government Affairs.