Victoria A. Budson is the founding Executive Director of the Women and Public Policy Program (WAPPP) at the Harvard Kennedy School of Government. Victoria currently serves on the Department of State steering committee of Secretary Hillary Clinton’s initiative, the Women in Public Service Project. In addition, she advises the Obama White House Administration on policies to close gender gaps at the national level. As a political appointee of Governor Deval Patrick, Victoria chairs the Massachusetts Commission on the Status of Women. Awards Victoria has received include: the Empower Peace Women2Women Leadership Award, the “Rising Star” award for her outstanding work to advance the political education of women from the Network for Women in Politics and Government at UMASS Boston, the Carol Moseley Braun Award from Mass Choice, and the Dean’s Award for Excellence at the Kennedy School.