Duke Leadership Academy Scholars Profile

Melissa Vetterkind

Title: Director of Government Relations
Location:
Senior Management Area: Office of Public Affairs and Government Relations
Class Year: 2018

Bio:
Melissa Vetterkind is the director of Duke University's Office of Government Relations. In this role, Melissa has primary responsibility for the development, coordination and implementation of the Duke's priorities on federal scientific research issues with the legislative and executive branches of the federal government in addition to federal policy issues related to the humanities and intellectual property. She is the past chair of the Association of American Universities Council on Federal Relations' Steering Committee and past co-chair of the Coalition for National Security Research. She previously served as chair of the Association of American Universities Council on Federal Relations' Task Forces on Defense, Homeland Security Funding, and Humanities. Melissa came to Duke in 2003 after serving for almost six years in the office of former Congressman David Obey (D-WI).