The Duke University Office of Federal Relations represents the university in Washington, D.C., on legislative and regulatory matters of interest to Duke. These issues include research and student aid funding, the reauthorization of relevant statutes (such as the Higher Education Act), visa and immigration matters, technology transfer and intellectual property law.

Chris Simmons is Duke University's associate vice president for federal relations. In this capacity, Simmons serves as Duke's principal point person on regulatory and legislative issues involving the federal government, Congress and the administration, in areas such as financial aid, academic research, international education, tax policy and immigration.

Prior to joining Duke, Simmons was the associate director for government relations at the American Council on Education (ACE), where he organized advocacy efforts to advance the priorities of higher education. He frequently represented the higher education community at meetings with the legislative and executive branches of the federal government on a wide range of issues including the reauthorization of the Higher Education Act, student aid funding and federally funded research.

Simmons served from 1998 – 2002 as a senior federal relations officer for the Association of American Universities (AAU) and, prior to that, as a policy analyst for the National Commission on the Cost of Higher Education. His career in higher education began as the Assistant Director of Admission at Willamette University in Salem, Oregon.

He currently serves on the boards of the North Carolina Museum of Life and Science and of the National Association of Independent Colleges and Universities (NAICU).

Simmons is a graduate of Willamette and received a Master of Education degree from Harvard University. He lives in Chapel Hill with his wife, two daughters and son.

STAFF:
Melissa Vetterkind
Assistant Director
(919) 668-0761
melissa.vetterkind@duke.edu