Mark B. Harkins

Mark B. Harkins serves as a Senior Fellow at the Government Affairs Institute, part of Georgetown University, a position he joined in July 2013. With extensive experience in government affairs, he has guest lectured numerous times for more than a decade and brings 17 years of Capitol Hill experience to his role.

Mr. Harkins earned his BA in Economics from Swarthmore College, where he also served as Sports Information Director early in his career. His educational background in economics has directly informed his expertise in budget and appropriations processes.

His primary research and professional interests focus on congressional operations and legislative processes, with particular expertise in congressional structure and operation, committee practices and procedures, legislative politics, budget and appropriations, and communicating with Congress. His deep understanding stems from hands-on experience working within the legislative branch for nearly two decades.

Mr. Harkins previously worked for two Members of Congress and served on the House Committee on Science, Space, and Technology as both a Professional Staff Member and later as Legislative Director for the House Science Committee Democrats. He served as Senior Legislative Assistant to Representative David Price (D-NC), where his portfolio included appropriations matters, and as Chief of Staff for Representative Brad Miller (D-NC), where he managed a three-office, twenty-person congressional operation.

Following his Capitol Hill service, Mark worked for over five years as a government relations professional, representing corporate, nonprofit, and government clients before Congress and the Executive Branch. His experience spans issues handled by the Financial Services, Science, Ways and Means, and Homeland Security Committees.

Mark maintains an active role in sharing his expertise through media engagements and can be contacted at Mark.Harkins@georgetown.edu or by calling the Government Affairs Institute office at 202-333-4838.