Former Sen. Roy Blunt and Rep. Val Demings Join Bipartisan Policy Center as Executive Fellows
Washington, DC – Today, the Bipartisan Policy Center announced former U.S. Sen. Roy Blunt (R-MO) and former Rep. Val Demings (D-FL) are joining BPC as Executive Fellows. As veteran legislators, they have demonstrated a commitment to forging relationships on both sides of the aisle on some of America’s most pressing issues, looking for common-sense solutions.
“The BPC family is excited to add the dynamic leadership and strategic guidance of Sen. Blunt and Rep. Demings to our prestigious fellows’ program,” said Kelly Darnell, interim CEO of BPC. “BPC is the place where democracy gets to work, and their decades of public policy experience will help shape BPC’s work this year and for years to come. We can’t wait to get started.”
“I’ve benefited from the work of BPC since its founding,” said Roy Blunt. “Its foundation is bipartisan not nonpartisan and finding that place that produces the consensus necessary to move forward is the essence of democracy. Representative Demings and I are going to work to help find those places.”
“As a former police chief I, know first-hand the importance of working together to get things done and improve the quality of life of the American people,” said Val Demings. “I look forward to partnering with Senator Roy Blunt and the Bipartisan Policy Center to champion a unified approach to creating public policy that’s people-focused and results driven.”
“In a country that feels increasingly partisan, finding viable, bipartisan public policy solutions improve American’s lives is more important than ever,” said Henry Cisneros, BPC board chair. “Adding the political savvy of Rep. Demings and Sen. Blunt to our team of bipartisan supporters is yet another example of our continued commitment to creating durable and lasting change.”
Blunt served in Congress from 1997 to 2023, first in the House of Representatives where he was Republican Whip from 2003 to 2009. He was elected to Senate leadership in 2011, his first year in the Senate, and served in elected leadership for all 12 years of his Senate service, including four years as a Republican policy chairman. Blunt recently completed his second term in the U.S. Senate.
Demings served in the House of Representatives from 2017 to 2023. Prior to joining Congress, Demings worked in law enforcement for nearly three decades. She was Orlando’s first female chief of police from 2007 to 2011 and during her tenure reduced violent crime by more than 40%.