Benson Whitney

Areas of Expertise

Global policy, law, campaign finance, leadership and management

Biography

For more than 25 years, Benson Whitney has been a leader in global, national, and local capacities. From 2005 to 2009, Whitney served as the U.S. Ambassador to Norway, where he played a critical role working with the Norwegian government on issues related to NATO and Afghanistan, Kosovo, missile defense, and clean energy. Prior to his position as Ambassador, Whitney was the campaign manager and finance chair of Minnesota Bush-Cheney '04 and campaign manager of Coleman for Senate. Whitney also has been involved in the development of many local organizations, such as Headwaters Foundation for Justice, Wilderness Inquiry, and Guthrie Theater. Whitney received a B.A. from Vassar College and holds a J.D. from the University of Minnesota Law School.

Resume (PDF)

Learn More About Our Top-ranked Public Policy, Public Affairs + Planning Degree Programs:

• Master of Public Policy (MPP)
• Master of Development Practice (MDP)
• Master of Urban and Regional Planning (MURP)
• Master of Science in Science, Technology, and Environmental Policy (MS–STEP)
• Mid-career Master of Public Affairs (MPA)
Dual degrees with the schools of management (MPP/MBA), law, social work, public health, landscape architecture, and civil engineering Executive education, including a nonprofit management certificate