Vice President for Government Affairs

Karen Knutson is vice president for government affairs. With oversight of the Office of Government and Community Relations and the MIT Washington Office, she is responsible for advancing the Institute’s educational and policy interests at the federal, state, city, and community levels and serves as the president’s senior advisor on government engagement.

Previously, as vice president and general manager for government affairs at Chevron, Knutson led a 60-person team responsible for government affairs around the world, including advocacy for its new energy portfolio, from hydrogen to carbon capture, utilization and storage.

Knutson spent her early career in the U.S. Senate, gaining a strong foundation in the legislative process and building her expertise in energy and environmental policy as she worked with influential senators including Frank Murkowski, Kay Bailey Hutchison, and Sam Brownback. She joined the Bush Administration in 2001, serving as the deputy assistant to Vice President Cheney for domestic policy, with a focus on energy policy. Knutson went on to spend four years as Senator Lisa Murkowski’s chief of staff, helping her win a historic write-in campaign and navigate the politics of being the U.S. Senate’s key swing vote. Knutson has also held top policy and government relations roles across the energy and agricultural food products industries.

A native of Alaska, Knutson earned her bachelor’s degree in political science with a minor in economics from the University of Alaska Fairbanks and her law degree from Wake Forest.