Ike Irby M.P.P. ’17, Ph.D. ’17

Not everyone who earns a Ph.D. in marine science goes on to work in a lab or classroom. When Ike Irby first came to William & Mary’s Virginia Institute of Marine Science as a graduate student, he quickly learned that his skill set wasn’t only suited for science and research. This led him to enroll in a joint degree program that allowed him to pursue his deep interest in science advisory efforts and the process of science policy. It is this same interest that led him to apply for an internship with the Office of Science and Technology Policy (OSTP) at the White House, where he developed reports to advise President Barack Obama on issues encompassing all aspects of science and technology.

After graduating with his Master’s in Public Policy and Ph.D. in Marine Science, Ike returned to Washington, D.C. When Kamala D. Harris was in the U.S. Senate, Ike was her Senior Policy Advisor, covering climate, environment, energy, transportation and infrastructure. When she became vice president, he became her climate advisor and then served as Special Assistant to the President and Deputy Domestic Policy Advisor to Vice President, a role that allowed him to use what he learned from W&M and VIMS to help Harris explain why science matters. In February 2024, he founded Ike Irby Strategies LLC, acting as an independent policy and political advisor with a focus on climate, sustainability and innovation. Later that year, he teamed up with Harris again as senior advisor during her presidential campaign. He serves his alma mater on the VIMS Foundation Board.

Learn more about Ike

• Read the story announcing his role as Policy Advisor in the Office of the Vice President.
• Watch him in A Deeper Dive: Shaping Leaders Who Shape the World.
• Read the story when Ike interned at the White House.