John Podesta is the Founder and President of the Center for American Progress. Under his leadership, the Center has grown from an eight-person policy operation into an organization consisting of over 180 full-time employees in just a few years. By placing equal emphasis on policy development and communications, the Center has truly shaken up the definition of a think tank and has become an indispensable resource for the progressive community.

Prior to founding the Center, Podesta served as Chief of Staff to President William J. Clinton from October 1998 until January 2001, where he was responsible for directing, managing, and overseeing all policy development and daily operations of the White House. Podesta is currently a Visiting Professor of Law on the faculty of the Georgetown University Law Center, a position he also held from January 1995 to 1997.