
Reviews Write New Review
Location
Booking Fee
Fee: $##,###Get Pricing
Virtual Fee: $##,###Get Pricing
[email protected]
Melody Barnes
Executive Director of the UVA Karsh Institute of Democracy & Former Director of the White House Domestic Policy Council
Melody Barnes is executive director of the UVA Karsh Institute of Democracy and co-director for policy and public affairs for the Democracy Initiative, an interdisciplinary teaching, research, and engagement effort led by the College and Graduate School of Arts & Sciences at the University of Virginia. She is the J. Wilson Newman Professor of Governance at the Miller Center and is also a distinguished fellow at the UVA School of Law. A co-founder of the domestic strategy firm MB2 Solutions LLC, Barnes has spent more than 25 years crafting public policy on a wide range of domestic issues.
During the administration of President Barack Obama, Barnes was assistant to the president and director of the White House Domestic Policy Council. She was also executive vice president for policy at the Center for American Progress and chief counsel to the late Senator Edward M. Kennedy on the Senate Judiciary Committee. Her experience includes an appointment as director of legislative affairs for the U.S. Equal Employment Opportunity Commission and assistant counsel to the House Judiciary Subcommittee on Civil and Constitutional Rights. Barnes began her career as an attorney with Shearman & Sterling in New York City.
Barnes earned her BA from the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, where she graduated with honors in history, and her JD from the University of Michigan. She serves on the boards of directors of several corporate, non-profit, and philanthropic organizations.
Speech Topics
Immigration: Reform Focused on 21st Century Economic and Security Needs
Today's Political Issues - Causes and Solutions
U.S. Domestic Policy in a Global Economy
The Debt Crisis: The Tough Choices Ahead for America
Reforming Americas Education System
Affordable Care Act: The Future of Health Care for Providers and Patients
News
Related Speakers View all
![]() |
Richard Florida
Leading Urbanist, Economist & Author of "The Rise of...
|
![]() |
David Agus
Co-Founder of Navigenics, Author of "The End of Illn...
|
|
Jonah Edelman
Advocate for Public Education, CEO of Stand for Chil...
|
![]() |
Dalia Mogahed
President and CEO, Mogahed Consulting, LLC; Author, ...
|
![]() |
Andrea Mitchell
Award-Winning Chief Foreign Affairs Correspondent at...
|
![]() |
Arne Duncan
Managing Partner at Emerson Collective; Former U.S. ...
|
![]() |
Darren Walker
President of the Ford Foundation; Chair of the US Al...
|
![]() |
Tiffany Shlain
Founder of The Webby Awards; Emmy-Nominated Filmmake...
|
![]() |
Bakari Sellers
Author, Attorney, Political Commentator & Youngest A...
|
![]() |
Anna Deavere Smith
Award-Winning Actress, Playwright & Social Commentator
|
![]() |
Helene D. Gayle
Former CEO of The Chicago Community Trust; 11th Pres...
|
![]() |
Maria Bartiromo
Global Markets Editor, FOX Business Network
|
![]() |
Shiza Shahid
Entrepreneur, Technologist, Investor, Impact Leader ...
|
![]() |
Valerie B. Jarrett
Civic Leader, New York Times Best-Selling Author & F...
|
![]() |
Michelle Obama
Former First Lady of the United States & Bestselling...
|
![]() |
Dr. M. Joycelyn Elders
Former Surgeon General of the United States
|
![]() |
Dr. Anthony Fauci
Director of the National Institute of Allergy and In...
|
![]() |
Nicholas Burns
Professor of the Practice of Diplomacy & Internation...
|
![]() |
Juan Williams
New York Times Best-Selling Author, Fox News Politic...
|
![]() |
Sarah Yourgrau
Emmy Award-Winning Producer, Host & Storyteller
|