John Norris has served in a number of senior roles in government, international institutions, and nonprofits. Most recently, he was a Policy Adviser in the Office of the President for Global Policy and Advocacy at the Gates Foundation. John previously served as a Senior Fellow at the Center for American Progress and the Executive Director of the Enough Project, a human rights organization focused on preventing war crimes.

In 2014, John was appointed by President Barack Obama to the President’s Global Development Council, a body charged with advising the administration on effective development practices.

John also was the Chief of Political Affairs for the United Nations Mission in Nepal, assisting the peace process that helped end that country’s decade-long civil war. John served as Special Adviser to the president of the International Crisis Group, and as the director of communications for U.S. Deputy Secretary of State Strobe Talbott. He also worked as a speechwriter and field disaster expert at the U.S. Agency for International Development.

John is the author of four books, including Mary McGrory: The First Queen of Journalism which was a finalist for the LA Times Book Award. He also wrote a well-regarded history of the U.S. Agency for International Development, and has authored opinion pieces and features appearing in a broad array of publications including Foreign Policy, The Atlantic, Washington Post, LA Times, Politico, The New Republic, Chicago Tribune, The Guardian, and International Herald Tribune.