David Gergen is a veteran American political advisor who served in the White House under four presidents: Richard Nixon (starting as a staff assistant in the speechwriting office in 1971), Gerald Ford, Ronald Reagan (as Director of Communications), and Bill Clinton. He also advised the 1980 George H.W. Bush presidential campaign. In the mid-1980s, Gergen pivoted to journalism, becoming a commentator on the MacNeil-Lehrer NewsHour starting in 1984 and later editor of U.S. News & World Report. He joined the Harvard Kennedy School faculty as Professor of Public Service in January 1999 and served as the former director of the school's Center for Public Leadership. Born in Durham, North Carolina, Gergen graduated from Duke University with an A.B. degree in 1963 and earned an LL.B. from Yale Law School in 1967. Over his extensive career spanning government, media, and academia, he has been recognized for his communication skills and strategic insight in navigating political landscapes. Gergen continues to comment on public affairs and contributes to discussions on leadership and policy.