Doug Wilson New GW Fellow

Douglas Wilson, former assistant secretary of defense for public affairs, will join the George Washington University's School of Media and Public Affairs as a distinguished fellow for the 2012-2013 academic year. He will be lecturing and participating in major events for GW students and the general public. 

He served as the Pentagon’s assistant secretary of defense for public affairs from February 2010 until his retirement from government in March 2012.  As the Pentagon’s senior spokesman and communications advisor, Wilson was responsible for the development and implementation of communication strategies on issues including Afghanistan, Iraq, the “Arab Spring,” the DADT repeal, Wikileaks and counterterrorism.  He coordinated Pentagon communications following the death of Osama bin Laden. Wilson served in senior Pentagon communications positions twice previously under President Clinton and has three times been awarded the Distinguished Public Service Medal, the Pentagon’s highest civilian honor. 

Prior to his appointment as assistant secretary, he was the executive vice president of the Howard Gilman Foundation, overseeing the foundation’s domestic and international policy programs at White Oak. Wilson has also served as national political director of the Democratic Leadership Council; director of congressional and intergovernmental affairs for the U.S. Information Agency; foreign policy advisor to U.S. Sen. Gary Hart; and director of the 1996 Clinton-Gore re-election effort in his home state of Arizona. (PF Tipster)