Christina West

Christina West is the assistant vice chancellor for federal relations in Vanderbilt University’s Office of Federal Relations. In this role, West is responsible for coordinating the University and Medical Center’s federal relations and advocacy activities. She works closely with both campus leaders and Washington policy makers on topics such as federal student aid; funding levels for federal research programs; health policy; regulatory issues related to higher education, research and academic medical centers; technology transfer and tax issues. West interacts regularly with leaders in Congress, focusing primarily on the Tennessee congressional delegation and their staffs. Building on her previous experience on the Hill in a Tennessee congressional office, West has built solid relationships with many of the key offices with which Vanderbilt interfaces. She has served as the vice chair and chair of the Association of American Universities' (AAU) Council on Federal Relations. She has previously chaired AAU's Humanities Task Force which advocates on behalf of the National Endowment for the Humanities.

Prior to joining Vanderbilt, West was a senior associate at the government relations firm of Collins & Company where she had direct, day-to-day interaction with the company's clients, advancing their government relations agenda from strategy formulation to execution. Her primary responsibilities were for the firm's higher education and international development clients, building on her past experiences in these areas. She had direct responsibility for proposing, developing, and executing strategic plans for each customer.

West has also served as the assistant director for international affairs at the National Association of State Universities and Land-Grant Colleges (now called the Association of Public and Land-grant Universities). In that position, she promoted, both on Capitol Hill and within the administration, the international agendas of major public research universities, including the Department of Education's Title VI programs and immigration issues related to international students and scholars.

In addition to her experience in the private sector, West spent several years as the senior legislative assistant for former Representative Bob Clement, D-Tenn., with responsibility for his work on the Budget Committee as well as his education, foreign relations, trade, immigration, and defense issues. Rep. Clement was the co-chair of the House Education Caucus, for which West had primary responsibility in developing and executing the policies and events. West began her tenure in Rep. Clement's office as an intern, serving also as staff assistant, legislative assistant, and ultimately senior legislative assistant. She also completed a summer internship in the legislative office of Sen. Fred Thompson, R-Tenn.

A graduate of Haverford College, in Haverford, Pennsylvania, West has a bachelor’s degree in political science. She spent part of her junior year studying abroad in Athens, Greece, and she lived in Geneva, Switzerland, from 1989 to 1992. The West family lived in Nashville following their time in Switzerland; she is a graduate of the University School of Nashville. Her interests include competitive masters swimming; she served for three years as co-captain and vice president on the board of the District of Columbia Aquatics Club. She is also an active member of Women in Government Relations; she co-chaired their Congressional Relations task force for two years and currently co-chairs the Personal & Professional Development task force. She volunteers regularly with Suited for Change, which provides professional clothing, career and life skills education to low-income women.

Christina West

Assistant Vice Chancellor
Federal Relations
(202) 216-4370

 

STAFF MEMBERS

Alex Currie
Associate Director
Federal Relations

Margie Glick
Assistant Director
Federal Relations

Janelle St. Croix
Legislative Analyst