Mary Bruce is the Assistant Director of Public Programming at the SNF Agora Institute at Johns Hopkins University. In this role, she co-creates initiatives to share the Institute’s work with the public and strengthen their capacity to develop solutions that lead to a better world. These programs include the University Debate Initiative, the Baltimore-based Elijah E. Cummings Democracy and Freedom Festival, the annual international convening, and other campus and community events throughout the year.
Mary’s career has focused on expanding opportunities for individuals and communities to contribute to civic life. She has actively helped to grow civic engagement legacy initiatives of the 41st, 42nd, 43rd, and 44th Presidents of the United States: George H.W. Bush, Bill Clinton, George W. Bush, and Barack Obama. She also served as an appointee for the 46th President of the United States, Joe Biden, where she held senior leadership roles at the U.S. Peace Corps and the U.S. Office of Personnel Management.
Mary formerly served as an adjunct professor at the University of Virginia Batten School of Leadership and Public Policy. She earned her BA in Poverty Studies from the University of Virginia and her MPA from Princeton University. Mary is also a proud alumna of service in the Peace Corps (Morocco) and AmeriCorps (Washington, DC).
Mary’s work reflects her belief that democracy works better for everyone by combining thoughtful scholarship with practical action. As assistant director of the SNF Agora Institute, she shapes opportunities for meaningful dialogue and debate that inspire more active participation in democratic life.