Mo Elleithee is widely recognized as one of the nation’s leading political and communications strategists. Having worked in the public sector, private sector, politics, media and academia, he is best known for developing powerful political narratives, managing crises, and helping clients implement persuasion strategies across political and cultural divides.
Mo regularly advises C-Suite executives, corporate officers, and government officials on how to navigate complex political environments with an eye towards balancing the needs and expectations of competing stakeholders.
Since 2015, Mo has served as the founding Executive Director of Georgetown University’s Institute of Politics and Public Service, the first institute of its kind in the nation’s capital. Through its research and dialogues, the Institute has quickly become recognized as one of the nation’s leading academic centers focused on preparing young people for careers in public service. A skilled moderator, Mo has hosted and interviewed some of the most consequential political figures of our time, from President Bill Clinton and Vice President Mike Pence, to House Speakers Paul Ryan and Nancy Pelosi, to Meta CEO Mark Zuckerberg and many others. Through his work at the Institute, Mo has also become recognized as a leading voice in efforts to tackle political polarization and promote more productive political dialogue.
Before launching the Institute, Mo spent two decades as one of the top communications strategists in the Democratic Party. A former Communications Director and chief spokesman of the Democratic National Committee during the Obama Administration, Mo is a veteran of four presidential campaigns — including serving as Senior Spokesman on Hillary Clinton’s 2008 campaign — and has been a senior advisor and strategist to multiple Governors, United States Senators, Members of Congress, and other political figures and organizations.
Mo, a frequent political commentator across print, broadcast and digital media, was recently named a regular panelist and fill-in host on the popular NPR show Left, Right and Center, and was a FOX News contributor from 2016-2022. Todayhe is a regular commentator on CNN, MSNBC, and the BBC, and is often quoted by major national and international newspapers. He’s been recognized on Washington Life Magazine’s “Power 100” list; as a “Top Influencer” by Campaigns & Elections Magazine; and featured on Washingtonian Magazine’s “Guest List.”
Mo earned his undergraduate degree from Georgetown’s School of Foreign Service and an M.A. in Political Management from The George Washington University. He lives in Washington with his wife and two children, and can often be found at the Capital One Arena (or on Twitter during the off-season) cheering on his beloved Hoya basketball team.