Harris Departing NJDC On a Win, After Helping to Steward Jewish Democratic Vote Victory

NJDC — December 12, 2012 – 4:10 pm | Comments (0) Add a comment

Following an overwhelming Jewish vote for President Barack Obama - and the most significant and impactful voter contact program in Jewish Democratic political history - National Jewish Democratic Council (NJDC) President & CEO David A. Harris announced Wednesday his plans to leave the venerable organization early next year.

During NJDC’s final Board of Directors meeting of 2012, Harris, a more than ten-year veteran of the organization, announced his intention to leave during the first quarter of 2013. Harris said that having accomplished central goals with NJDC, he would be entering private consulting, including for non-political clients. NJDC Chair Marc R. Stanley informed the Board of Directors that a national search would begin immediately to find Harris’s replacement.

Leading NJDC has been the centerpiece of my career, and I continue to care profoundly for NJDC and our mission, our leaders and our staff,” Harris said. “Particularly in the face of being outspent more than ten to one, I’m immensely proud of our unprecedented strategic voter education program this year that got the facts to American Jews in key states like never before - and which made such a tremendous difference to help maximize Jewish support for Democrats. Indeed I could not be more proud of my work and our results over the years. But with the confidence of knowing that I’ve accomplished key goals here at NJDC that are central to our mission, I’m very much looking forward to new professional challenges and directions. I’m deeply indebted to everyone at NJDC for their boundless support, but especially to our Chair Marc Stanley, who has placed so much faith in me over the years. I could not have achieved what we have here without the unlimited support of my wonderful wife Megan, and indeed the love and backing of my entire family.

Stanley noted, “I know the rest of the Board shares my feeling that we were both surprised and genuinely sorry to learn of David’s decision. It’s been such a pleasure working so closely with David for many years; for more than a decade, he has committed himself wholly to NJDC’s cause, with stellar results. Beyond that, David is a tremendous mensch as well. To a person, NJDC’s Board and staff respects and cares so much for David, and we’ll be truly sad to see him depart. We of course wish him all the best in his future endeavors.”

Harris first began working for NJDC in 1999, serving as NJDC’s Deputy Executive Director.  He left in 2006 to become the Israel on Campus Coalition’s second Executive Director, returning to NJDC in 2009 as NJDC’s President. Harris was also named NJDC’s CEO in 2010.

Before joining NJDC in 1999, Harris worked as the Director of Governmental and Public Affairs for the American Jewish Congress and as Washington Representative for the Israel Policy Forum, among other positions. Harris began his career in electoral politics working as a campaign manager during the 1992 congressional campaign cycle, going on to work with the late Senator Paul Simon. As a leading voice within the American Jewish community, Harris has appeared on various news programs and has been regularly quoted in a wide range of articles appearing in The New York Times, The Washington Post, The Jerusalem Post and many other leading media outlets. Harris is a regular contributor to The Huffington Post, Politico, The Times of Israel and other publications, both in print and online.

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