Alumnus to Speak on Career in Public Service

James Carter will discuss his distinguished career in political public service during a presentation at 7 p.m. April 25 in Violette Hall 1010 as part of the Economic Speakers Series.

Carter has been active in political public service since graduating from the University in 1991 with a Bachelor of Science degree in political science, followed in 1993 by a Master of Public Administration from George Mason University. He has served in both Democratic and Republican administrations in the capacities of: The National Economic Council; deputy assistant secretary for economic policy in the U.S. Treasury; deputy undersecretary for international affairs and senior advisor to the secretary in the U.S. Department of Labor; chief economist and senior tax advisor in the U.S. Senate Budget Committee; and director for the Center of American Prosperity. He currently serves as a senior fellow for the America First Policy Institute.

During his presentation, Carter will speak on networking lessons learned through a lifetime career in public service working across the aisle with both political parties. He has served on the Board of Directors of BIPAC, a bipartisan organization working to improve the political climate in America, and on the Board of Directors for the Alzheimer’s Association National Capital Area Chapter. He has taught “Politics and Public Policy” at George Washington University and “The Practice and Politics of U.S. Tax Policy” at Johns Hopkins University. Carter is also a member of the Business-Government Relations Council and founder and proprietor of Concerned Economists. He has authored more than 200 publications in national newspapers such as Forbes, Investor’s Business Daily, The Wall Street Journal, USA Today and Politico, among others.

For nearly a decade, Carter was vice president of government affairs at Emerson, a diversified global manufacturing and technology company based in St. Louis. In addition to managing Emerson’s global, federal and state government affairs, his lobbying portfolio included tax policy, international trade and management of the company’s political action committee.

Since his time at the University Carter has continued to give back to his alma mater, helping more than 20 Truman students serve in internships in Washington, D.C. He is a 2014 recipient of Johns Hopkins University’s “Excellence in Teaching” award, and he appeared in season three of “House of Cards,” playing a U.S. senator.

Carter’s presentation is sponsored by the Department of Economics. It is free and open to the public.