Fed Event on May 1st at 12:15 PM

Public Policy Analysis: Changing the Corporate Playing Field in Public Affairs

Tuesday Policy Forum

May 1, 2012, 12:15-1:20 PM, 1203 Van Munching Hall


A recent development in the American corporate world is the creation of in-house public policy analysis capabilities at leading American business corporations. Helaine Klasky is directing such an effort at General Electric. She will discuss the extent of this trend and the factors that are motivating businesses to expand their own abilities to undertake public policy analyses of the kind traditionally taught at schools of public policy. If this trend continues, it could have important implications for public policy schools, including closer relations with the American business community, and wider markets for the services of public policy analysts.

About the Speaker
Helaine Klasky was born and raised in Los Angeles, California. She attended the University of California at Berkeley where she earned a BA in political science and graduated with honors in 1986. While working full-time, she earned a Masters of International Relations from American University and a Masters of Education from the University of Virginia.
In 1986, Helaine moved to Washington, DC where she began her government service. She was the Deputy Assistant Secretary for Public Affairs at the U.S. Department of Treasury and Deputy Assistant U.S. Trade Representative for Public Affairs at the United States Trade Representative. She began her career in government working on Capitol Hill in the U.S. Senate for Senator Kennedy and DeConcini and spent ten years at the U.S. Department of State.

Following her government service, Klasky was Associate Vice President and Director of Public Affairs for Yale University and Special Assistant to the President. In her role at Yale, she oversaw strategic communications and public affairs to support the university’s major initiatives.

She joined GE in October 2009 and leads their global public affairs initiatives. With her team based in the US and around the world, Helaine is responsible for developing and implementing global public affairs strategies around key public policy issues, working closely with the business, government relations and communications teams.