Lara M. Brown, Ph.D., serves as the director of the Graduate School of Political Management (GSPM) at the George Washington University.
A distinguished writer and dedicated scholar, Dr. Brown is the author of Jockeying for the American Presidency: The Political Opportunism of Aspirants, which was the first systematic study of presidential aspirants from the 1790s through 2008. She co-edited and contributed to two other recent books: The Presidential Leadership Dilemma: Between the Constitution and a Political Party and Campaigning for President 2016: Strategy and Tactics.
Prior to Dr. Brown’s appointment as director, she served as the program director for the political management graduate program at GSPM. Before coming to George Washington University, Brown served as an assistant professor in the Department of Political Science at Villanova University. Dr. Brown served as a political appointee in President Bill Clinton’s administration at the U.S. Department of Education.
Dr. Brown is a frequent presence in the media, appearing on dozens of television and radio programs, and serving as an expert on politics, elections, and governance for scores of print publications. She has written op-eds for The New York Times, Politico, The Hill, and The Huffington Post.
Born and raised in California, Dr. Brown earned her B.A., M.A., and Ph. D. in political science from the University of California, Los Angeles. She also earned a M.A. in American politics and public policy from the University of Arizona.
Dr. Brown grew up racing sailboats on the San Francisco Bay and she is an avid college football fan. She is married and lives with her husband in Washington, D.C.