Harvard Kennedy School names Betsy Fischer Martin as director of the Institute of Politics

Harvard Kennedy School has named Betsy Fischer Martin as the next director of the Institute of Politics (IOP). She will begin her tenure in mid-August, succeeding interim co-directors Beth Myers and Ned Price, who have led the IOP since December 2025.

“We are so fortunate to have Betsy leading the IOP,” said Michael A. Nutter, Chair of the IOP Senior Advisory Committee and former Mayor of Philadelphia. “She has spent decades with her finger on the pulse of American politics, and as a Fellow she showed real care for our students and our mission — I cannot wait to see how she leads IOP into its next chapter.”

Fischer Martin is an Emmy-winning journalist who brings to the IOP a distinguished career at the intersection of politics, media, and public service. She spent more than two decades at NBC News, including as the longtime executive producer of Meet the Press, where she worked closely with Tim Russert to produce some of the most consequential political journalism of that era.  She covered six presidential campaigns and every major political event at the network, later serving as managing editor of NBC News Political Programming. 

She currently leads the Women & Politics Institute at American University, a nationally recognized, nonpartisan institute advancing women’s political leadership and civic participation. Fischer Martin also serves as a faculty member in the AU School of Public Affairs, where she teaches courses on campaigns, politics, and the media. Fischer Martin was an IOP Resident Fellow in Fall 2023, giving her firsthand knowledge of the Institute’s culture, students, and mission.

“The Institute of Politics has a sixty-year legacy of turning students into leaders, and I am honored to help write its next chapter,” said Fischer Martin. “Having experienced the IOP firsthand as a Fellow, I know what makes this place extraordinary — it is the students. Their curiosity, their seriousness, and their commitment to public service is what sets this institution apart. Democracy depends on people willing to step into public life, and the IOP’s job is to inspire the next generation to be ready and eager to do exactly that. I look forward to working alongside the remarkable fellows, staff, and practitioners who make that mission possible every day. I can’t wait to be back.”

The IOP is an integral part of Harvard Kennedy School and the largest student organization for undergraduates at Harvard College. Established in 1966 as a memorial to President John F. Kennedy, the IOP’s mission is to engage students with politicians, policymakers, activists, journalists, and academics on a non-partisan basis, with the goal of inspiring students to careers in public service.

“Betsy is exactly the right leader to chart the IOP’s future, with the vision, experience, network, and care for students that this moment demands,” said Jeremy Weinstein, Dean of Harvard Kennedy School. “She comes to the IOP having spent a career at the pinnacle of political coverage, and brings rigor, incredible insight, and a demonstrated track record of fostering the most important political conversations across party lines. I am thrilled to welcome her to Harvard.”