Dr. Stephen M. Thompson
Stephen M. Thompson, Ph.D. (Cantab), has 30 years of experience in public policy, government, and politics, including working in Congress for a decade. He also served during 2006-2008 in the George W. Bush administration in the office of the Deputy Undersecretary for International Affairs at the U.S. Department of Labor, where he was special assistant/chief-of-staff.
From August 2016 to January 2017, Dr. Thompson served as Deputy Team Leader, Tax Policy Implementation, on the Donald J. Trump Presidential Transition Team. As a Presidential Transition Team Leader, he served also on interagency advisory committees to the President-Elect in the areas of economic policy, trade, and national security.
Dr. Thompson began his career in Congress as a senior advisor to the chairman of the Joint Economic Committee, where he was responsible for public affairs and media operations. He was also the committee’s principal spokesman on trade issues. Among his many responsibilities was managing media operations for Joint Economic Committee hearings, including managing global media when the Chair of the Board of Governors of the Federal Reserve System testified. He was also responsible for authoring and compiling regular economic briefings for the House Republican Conference. He was often consulted by congressional staff on communicating economic issues.
While serving as senior advisor to the Joint Economic Committee, Dr. Thompson also served as press secretary to the chairman of the Subcommittee on Terrorism, Unconventional Threats and Capabilities of the House Armed Services Committee. His responsibilities included assisting the chairman communicate counter-terrorism policies to U.S and international media. At the time, he created one of the most innovative and extensive media operations in the Congress. Also, as a foreign policy aide to the chairman, Dr. Thompson was responsible for drafting key legislation and resolutions relating to the Iraq War.
During his time on Capitol Hill, Dr. Thompson also served in the office of the future chairman of the House Permanent Select Committee on Intelligence, where he was communications advisor, press secretary, speechwriter, and foreign policy and economics aid. His responsibilities included assisting in the day-to-day media operations of a congressional office and in developing long-term communications strategies for a future leader in the House of Representatives. He was also responsible for managing two bipartisan foreign affairs congressional caucuses (Brazil and Mexico).
During the George W. Bush administration, Dr. Thompson was part of a management team that oversaw the Bureau of International Labor Affairs (ILAB). One of his major accomplishments was gaining approval and overseeing the department’s contribution to the Bush administration’s Middle East Partnership Initiative program in Egypt. ILAB was particularly active in Egypt, Turkey, the Gulf States, and Morocco. For his work at the department, he received an exemplary performance rating, the highest rating for a federal employee.
During 1993, Dr. Thompson was an adviser to the Commercial Attaché at the U.S. Embassy in London on reform of the British National Health Service. From 1993 to 1999, he was senior policy advisor to the Republican National Committee, where he wrote briefing books and numerous policy papers for Republican Party officials, and advised GOP campaigns at the national and state levels.
Since leaving government in 2012, Dr. Thompson has worked as a political consultant, government relations expert, writer, and editor. He co-authored Margaret Thatcher on Leadership (Regnery) published in 2013. Recently, Dr. Thompson was Senior Vice-President for Congressional Affairs at Jefferson Waterman International in Washington, D.C, where he advised the government of Ghana, the main opposition leader in Guinea, and the government of Cote d’Ivoire on issues before the Congress. He has also regularly advised Members of Congress on BREXIT, and the political situation in Angola.
Dr. Thompson was educated at Cambridge University, the London School of Economics, and the University of California (Santa Barbara and Berkeley). He holds a Ph.D. in diplomatic history from Emmanuel College, Cambridge University. He serves on the board of directors of The American Fund for Emmanuel, which approves development projects for Emmanuel College. He is a member of the Oxford and Cambridge Club in London and the Capitol Hill Club in Washington, D.C.
From August 2016 to January 2017, Dr. Thompson served as Deputy Team Leader, Tax Policy Implementation, on the Donald J. Trump Presidential Transition Team. As a Presidential Transition Team Leader, he served also on interagency advisory committees to the President-Elect in the areas of economic policy, trade, and national security.
Dr. Thompson began his career in Congress as a senior advisor to the chairman of the Joint Economic Committee, where he was responsible for public affairs and media operations. He was also the committee’s principal spokesman on trade issues. Among his many responsibilities was managing media operations for Joint Economic Committee hearings, including managing global media when the Chair of the Board of Governors of the Federal Reserve System testified. He was also responsible for authoring and compiling regular economic briefings for the House Republican Conference. He was often consulted by congressional staff on communicating economic issues.
While serving as senior advisor to the Joint Economic Committee, Dr. Thompson also served as press secretary to the chairman of the Subcommittee on Terrorism, Unconventional Threats and Capabilities of the House Armed Services Committee. His responsibilities included assisting the chairman communicate counter-terrorism policies to U.S and international media. At the time, he created one of the most innovative and extensive media operations in the Congress. Also, as a foreign policy aide to the chairman, Dr. Thompson was responsible for drafting key legislation and resolutions relating to the Iraq War.
During his time on Capitol Hill, Dr. Thompson also served in the office of the future chairman of the House Permanent Select Committee on Intelligence, where he was communications advisor, press secretary, speechwriter, and foreign policy and economics aid. His responsibilities included assisting in the day-to-day media operations of a congressional office and in developing long-term communications strategies for a future leader in the House of Representatives. He was also responsible for managing two bipartisan foreign affairs congressional caucuses (Brazil and Mexico).
During the George W. Bush administration, Dr. Thompson was part of a management team that oversaw the Bureau of International Labor Affairs (ILAB). One of his major accomplishments was gaining approval and overseeing the department’s contribution to the Bush administration’s Middle East Partnership Initiative program in Egypt. ILAB was particularly active in Egypt, Turkey, the Gulf States, and Morocco. For his work at the department, he received an exemplary performance rating, the highest rating for a federal employee.
During 1993, Dr. Thompson was an adviser to the Commercial Attaché at the U.S. Embassy in London on reform of the British National Health Service. From 1993 to 1999, he was senior policy advisor to the Republican National Committee, where he wrote briefing books and numerous policy papers for Republican Party officials, and advised GOP campaigns at the national and state levels.
Since leaving government in 2012, Dr. Thompson has worked as a political consultant, government relations expert, writer, and editor. He co-authored Margaret Thatcher on Leadership (Regnery) published in 2013. Recently, Dr. Thompson was Senior Vice-President for Congressional Affairs at Jefferson Waterman International in Washington, D.C, where he advised the government of Ghana, the main opposition leader in Guinea, and the government of Cote d’Ivoire on issues before the Congress. He has also regularly advised Members of Congress on BREXIT, and the political situation in Angola.
Dr. Thompson was educated at Cambridge University, the London School of Economics, and the University of California (Santa Barbara and Berkeley). He holds a Ph.D. in diplomatic history from Emmanuel College, Cambridge University. He serves on the board of directors of The American Fund for Emmanuel, which approves development projects for Emmanuel College. He is a member of the Oxford and Cambridge Club in London and the Capitol Hill Club in Washington, D.C.