Biography

Cathy McLaughlin accepted the position of executive director of the Biden Institute, after resigning as executive director of the Institute of Politics (IOP) at Harvard University to work for Secretary Hillary Clinton on the presidential election. As IOP's executive director for 22 years, McLaughlin directed a staff of 18 and managed a $5 million annual budget. Her programming included the JFK Jr. Forum, Harvard’s premier arena for political speech and debate, high profile resident and visiting fellows, national conferences for newly-elected mayors and members of Congress and national consortium of IOP-like institutions. 

Cathy worked closely with an advisory committee of 35 undergraduates to develop programming relevant to students' interests. Prior to this role, McLaughlin served as Tour Manager for the Boston-based boy band New Kids on the Block and both director of the Office of Alumni Affairs and coordinator in the Press and Public Liaison Offices at Harvard University's John F. Kennedy School of Government.

Politics has been McLaughlin's inspiration and composed her life’s work. She seeks to encourage young people to enter public service and leadership. Although McLaughlin has interacted with individuals across the spectrum of political life, from presidents and prime ministers to Nobel Peace Prize winners and pundits, she finds the greatest rewards in seeing the students she has worked with go on to do great things.