Doug Wilson, who retired from a long government and political communications career in March as the head of public affairs for the Defense Department, has taken a year-long fellowship at George Washington University.
Mara Liasson, a national political correspondent for NPR, joins Wilson in the university’s School of Media and Public Affairs.
Wilson, who held the top Pentagon post for two years, said he’ll collaborate with both students and faculty as to” examine and put into context” national security communications issues ahead of and through the presidential election.
He worked communications strategy and spoke for the Pentagon through the Afghanistan and Iraq wars, the Arab Spring, Don’t Ask Don’t Tell repeal, Wikileaks and myriad other issues. Previous postings included the State Dept., Democratic Leadership Council, U.S. Information Agency and Sen. Gary Hart (D-Colo.).
Previous PR luminaries to hold GWU fellowships included Glover Park Group founder and Clinton advisor Joe Lockhart and State Department PA vet P.J. Crowley.
Liasson has covered five presidential elections for NPR and is a contributor to Fox News.
George Little, a CIA vet, has succeeded Wilson at the Pentagon as acting assistant secretary of defense for public affairs.