Thomas E. Garrett

Thomas E. Garrett serves as a Lecturer at Cornell University's Brooks School of Public Policy in the Cornell in Washington program, joining the institution in Fall 2024 after previously holding the Lund Practitioner-in-Residence position at the Mario Einaudi Center for International Studies.

His educational background includes:

• Master of Arts in Diplomacy-International Relations from Norwich University
• Bachelor of Arts in Political Science from University of Oklahoma

Garrett's research and professional focus centers on International Relations, Democracy Promotion, and Human Rights, with deep expertise in Native American Affairs and Tribal Governance stemming from his enrollment in the Chickasaw Nation of Oklahoma. His 23-year career at the International Republican Institute (IRI) involved advancing democratic governance across 80+ countries through election support and civil society development, followed by leadership as Secretary General of the Community of Democracies (CoD) from 2017-2024 where he built consensus among diverse global stakeholders.

His contributions were recognized with Romania's National Order of Merit, Grand Officer for human rights work.

Professional experience spans Vice Presidency at IRI, Middle East Regional Directorship, Chief of Party roles in Ukraine/Mongolia/Indonesia, legislative work for Senator Frank Murkowski on Native issues, and Director of Congressional & Legislative Affairs at the U.S. Department of the Interior's Bureau of Indian Affairs.