WASHINGTON—The Heritage Foundation announced Monday that Eric Teetsel is joining the organization as vice president of government relations.  

Teetsel joins Heritage with a long track record of experience on Capitol Hill and in the public policy arena. Prior to joining Heritage, he was chief of staff to U.S. Sen. Josh Hawley of Missouri. He also served as Hawley’s legislative director and as a special assistant to the senator.  

As chief of staff, Teetsel was entrusted with leading Hawley’s Senate office, overseeing operations, policy, communications, constituent services, and more. In the roles of legislative director and special assistant, he was responsible for executing Hawley’s legislative priorities through committee hearings, vote recommendations, monitoring floor procedure, liaising with other offices, and managing other aspects of the legislative process.  

As vice president of government relations, Teetsel will be responsible for engaging lawmakers and administration officials on behalf of Heritage, representing Heritage interests and perspectives on the key policy fights to Congress and the executive branch, and implementing Heritage’s robust policy agenda. He will oversee a department that conducts hundreds of policy events a year and maintains robust engagement with key policy stakeholders throughout the federal government. Another key aspect of his role will be to build successful coalitions of like-minded allies, inside and outside government, to accomplish policy goals. 

Teetsel’s policy experience extends over a decade. Prior to joining Hawley’s office in 2019, he served as the president and executive director of the Family Policy Alliance of Kansas, senior adviser for Sen. Jerry Moran’s Senate campaign, director of faith outreach for Sen. Marco Rubio’s presidential campaign, and executive director of the Manhattan Declaration.  

Heritage Foundation President Kevin Roberts released the following statement on Teetsel’s joining the Heritage team:  

“Unlike most other policy organizations in this town, Heritage is on offense, and we are playing for keeps. Every day, we’re fighting on behalf of the tens of millions of forgotten Americans who see that the Swamp has left them behind. That means we need men and women on our team who know how the Swamp works, and more importantly, know how to defeat it. Eric is precisely that kind of patriot. His patriotism and depth of experience both in D.C. and in the states will be a major boon to Heritage and to the conservative movement as we fight to take our country back. With Eric on our team, Heritage is even more primed for the fight.” 

Teetsel also released a statement on joining the Heritage team:  

“We are living in an era of change, uncertainty, and opportunity. Under Kevin Roberts’ leadership, Heritage is a force shaping the future of America during this critical time. I was privileged to serve Sen. Hawley in this fight in the Senate, and am eager to continue fighting alongside Kevin and the rest of the Heritage team in the years to come.” 

Follow him on Twitter @EricTeetsel.