John Ratliff

John Ratliff is a Nonresident Senior Fellow at the Metropolitan Policy Program at Brookings. He is an expert on the interplay of policies across the multiple levels of governance, and his work is focused on helping leaders develop new policy tools, new partnerships, and new ways of doing business to better equip them to govern in the rapidly changing economic and demographic conditions of the digital age.

Mr. Ratliff served for three years as Counselor to the Secretary and as Director of Policy & Strategic Planning at the U.S. Department of Commerce. In these dual roles, Mr. Ratliff was a close advisor to the Secretary and the leader of the team of senior policy experts who advised senior Administration officials on the full range of work carried out by the Department’s twelve agencies. His work included managing the execution of priorities across the Department and developing and driving Administration strategy in the areas of manufacturing, innovation, exports, trade and investment, and technology policy.

Prior to joining the Department, Mr. Ratliff served for nearly seven years as the Director of Policy for the State of Maryland. As a senior member of the Governor’s staff, he advised the Governor, senior executive staff, and cabinet secretaries on the development and implementation of the full range of state policies.

Prior to joining the Governor’s Office, Mr. Ratliff was Director of both the Environment, Energy & Natural Resources Division and the Homeland Security & Technology Division of the National Governors Association’s Center for Best Practices; Director of the Center for Livable Communities at the American Institute of Architects; and a legislative counsel in the U.S. House of Representatives with responsibility for the Transportation & Infrastructure, Small Business, and Education & Workforce Committees.

Mr. Ratliff holds a J.D. (cum laude) from Harvard Law School and an M.P. in urban and environmental planning and a B.A. from the University of Virginia where he was selected for membership in Phi Beta Kappa.

EDUCATION

• J.D., Harvard Law School
• M.P., School of Architecture, University of Virginia
• B.A., University of Virginia