American University President Sylvia Burwell is under consideration to be the head of the National Economic Council, according to reporting from the Washington Post.
“President Burwell has no plans to leave American University. As you know, for these types of positions, these government positions, names get floated,” said Matthew Bennett, AU’s vice president and chief communications officer, in a phone call with The Eagle. “It's not surprising given President Burwell’s background in government service that she would be mentioned, but she has no plans to leave American.”
President Biden’s top pick for the job is current Federal Reserve Vice Chair Lael Brainard, according to the Post’s reporting.
Despite her plans to stay at AU for now, Burwell is no stranger to federal economic policy or federal government work. Burwell and Robert Rubin, helped establish the National Economic Council, and Burwell served as the NEC’s staff director from 1993 to 1995. She also was the chief of staff to Rubin during his time as Secretary of the Treasury, deputy White House chief of staff to Erskine Bowles and later the deputy director of the Office of Management and Budget before becoming Health and Human Services secretary in 2014.
Burwell arrived at AU in 2017 and is the University’s 15th president and the first woman to serve in the role.
This story was edited by Abigail Pritchard and Jordan Young. Copy editing by Isabelle Kravis, Leta Lattin and Stella Guzik.
