National leaders in policy, governance and juvenile justice named Doris Duke Distinguished Visiting Fellows

The McCourt School of Public Policy is pleased to announce the newest Doris Duke Distinguished Visiting Fellows cohort.  The fellowship program was established through a generous gift from the Doris Duke Foundation (DDF) and brings together high-level policy leaders, particularly in the fields of child well-being and social policies, to share their expertise with the McCourt community through a variety of pathways — including lecturing a course, hosting informal dialogues and conducting research.

“At the McCourt School, we prepare our students for careers in policymaking through their academically rigorous coursework as well as practical, real-world experiences,” says McCourt School Dean Carole Roan Gresenz. “The Doris Duke Distinguished Visiting Fellows provide our students with the opportunity to learn from and interact with seasoned policymakers who’ve worked at the highest levels of government. We’re so pleased to welcome Robert Gordon, Liz Ryan and Shalanda Young to the McCourt community.”

Meet the 2025 Doris Duke Distinguished Visiting Fellows

Robert Gordon

Robert Gordon has served in key roles at each level and in each branch of government, with a particular focus on improving government performance and advancing economic mobility. Most recently, Gordon served as deputy assistant to President Biden for economic mobility at the Domestic Policy Council of the White House, handling education, housing, anti-crime and anti-poverty initiatives, among others. Prior to that, he served as assistant secretary for financial resources at the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services, leading several efforts to streamline grant and service delivery while saving taxpayers money.

Between 2019 and 2021, Gordon was director of the Department of Health & Human Services for the state of Michigan, playing a key role early in the pandemic response. During the Obama-Biden administration, he served as an acting deputy director and executive associate director at the Office of Management and Budget (OMB), guiding the administration’s evidence-based policy initiatives. Earlier in his career, Gordon served as a senior official at the New York City Department of Education, driving an equity-focused school finance reform, a senior aide on Capitol Hill and a law clerk for Justice Ruth Bader Ginsburg.

Outside government, Gordon worked as a senior vice president for global strategy and finance at the College Board, and, while a Skadden fellow, as a law guardian for children in abuse and neglect proceedings for the Juvenile Rights Division of Legal Aid in the Bronx, New York. His work has been published in The New York Times, The Atlantic and Politico. He has a J.D. from Yale University and a B.A. from Harvard University.

Liz Ryan

Liz Ryan is a policy expert, advocate and investigative journalist dedicated to social justice and racial equity, particularly in advancing reforms in the juvenile justice and criminal legal systems. Most recently, she served as the administrator of the Office of Juvenile Justice and Delinquency Prevention (OJJDP) during the Biden administration. During her tenure at OJJDP, she championed key priorities for the youth justice field, including expanding opportunities for justice-involved youth and centering directly impacted youth and their families in youth justice. Before leading OJJDP, Ryan led several successful national initiatives to advance youth justice transformation and reduce racial inequities in the juvenile justice system. She has held policy and advocacy roles at the Youth Law Center, the Center on Budget and Policy Priorities and the Children’s Defense Fund, as well as serving in senior legislative and policy roles on Capitol Hill and in former Governor Thomas Carper’s (D-DE) office.

Ryan played a pivotal role in advocating for the first-ever posthumous pardons in Virginia’s history. She also writes about civil rights-era cold cases, juvenile and criminal justice policy and the civil rights movement and has been published in the Alabama Political Reporter and the Louisiana Illuminator, among other outlets. She holds a B.A. from Dickinson College, an M.A. from The George Washington University and is currently pursuing an M.A. in journalism from the University of Alabama.

Shalanda Young

Shalanda Young served from 2022 to 2025 as the 43rd director of the Office of Management and Budget (OMB). In this role, she served as a member of President Biden’s Cabinet, National Security Council and Core Economic team. She managed the federal government’s annual $7 trillion budget, covering expenditures ranging from Medicare to national security. Young worked to secure assistance for Ukraine, relief for communities impacted by natural disasters and investments in childcare, education and public health. She was also a lead negotiator for the Fiscal Responsibility Act of 2023 that averted a first-ever debt default and lifted the nation’s debt ceiling. She led the development of all four of President Biden’s budgets and presented them before Congress each year. She also oversaw the federal government’s Office of Information and Regulatory Affairs, which is critical in the federal regulation-making process. Additionally, under the Biden administration, Young issued the two government-wide AI memorandums advancing governance and innovation and setting procurement guidelines for agencies. Previously, Young worked for the House Appropriations Committee for nearly 15 years, rising to lead the committee as the staff director. 

Young is currently a distinguished scholar in residence at the New York University School of Law, where she contributes her expertise on federal budgeting, economic policy and governance. She served as a Pritzker fellow at the University of Chicago Institute of Politics, where she focused on leadership in government, budget policy and the intersection of economic and social policy. Young has a B.A. from Loyola University New Orleans and an M.A. from Tulane University.

Learn more about the Distinguished Doris Duke Visiting Fellows program.