Clayton McCleskey joined the Center for Public Leadership in 2022 after over a decade as a journalist and diplomat. A former Fulbright Journalism Scholar, Clayton began his career as a Germany-based staff writer for The Dallas Morning News. In 2013, he joined the U.S. Department of State as a Presidential Management Fellow and served in multiple public affairs roles, including spokesperson for the U.S. Agency for International Development. He currently serves on the boards of the Gibson House Museum, Boston University Marsh Chapel, and the Lake Placid Sinfonietta. He holds a MSc in History from the London School of Economics, a BA from the George Washington University, and is currently completing a Master of Divinity at the General Theological Seminary of the Episcopal Church.