Marie Harf
Senior Advisor for Strategic Communications — U.S. Department of State
On June 1, 2015, Marie Harf began a new role as Senior Advisor for Strategic Communications to Secretary of State John Kerry. In this position, Harf continues her work leading on the Iran negotiations communications strategy and other priorities. Harf previously served as the Deputy Spokesperson for the Department of State from July 2013 to May 2015, having also served as the Acting Spokesperson from March 2015 to May 2015.
Prior to joining the State Department, Harf served as a senior advisor to and press spokesperson for Chuck Hagel during his confirmation to be Secretary of Defense.
During the 2012 presidential election, Harf was responsible for all national security and foreign policy issues on President Barack Obama’s re-election campaign. In this role, she developed and implemented the campaign’s national security policy and communications strategy, and she served as a press spokesperson on national security issues. Harf was also a member of President Obama’s debate preparation team for the Town Hall and Foreign Policy debates.
Prior to joining President Obama’s re-election campaign, Harf was the Central Intelligence Agency’s Media Spokesperson. She crafted the CIA’s media strategy on a wide range of sensitive national security and intelligence topics.
Harf began her federal government career in the CIA’s Directorate of Intelligence, where she was an analyst on Middle East leadership issues. She produced intelligence products — including items for the President’s daily briefing — on top foreign policy priorities, providing insight and context while identifying risks and opportunities for the United States.
Harf received her master’s degree in foreign affairs from the University of Virginia, where her thesis evaluated the prospects for continued regime stability in Saudi Arabia. She earned a bachelor’s degree in political science with concentrations in Jewish Studies and Russian and Eastern European Studies from the IU College of Arts and Sciences in 2003.
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