Mike Ringler came to the University of Pittsburgh Office of Community and Governmental Relations in 2015 as senior director for federal relations.
As senior director for federal relations, he is the primary liaison between the University and the federal government, working closely with members of Pennsylvania’s congressional delegation and their staff to advocate for Pitt priorities. Ringler also is the principal point of contact for University partnerships with executive branch agencies. He develops and implements the Pitt’s federal agenda, analyzes and influences federal higher education and research policy, and advises the chancellor and other University leaders on federal issues. Ringler is a liaison to higher education associations, including the Association of American Universities Council on Federal Relations and the Association of Public and Land-grant Universities Council on Governmental Affairs, where he has served as chair of the Appropriations Task Force and lead for the Commerce-Justice-Science Appropriations Team.
Prior to joining Pitt, Ringler was a professional staff member for 17 years for the U.S. House of Representatives Committee on Appropriations, where he most recently served as clerk of the Subcommittee on the Departments of Commerce and Justice, Science, and Related Agencies. Before that, he served as the top budget official for U.S. international broadcasting, and for the Bureau of Educational and Cultural Affairs of the United States Information Agency. Ringler began his federal government career as a presidential management intern with the United States Information Agency. He earned a bachelor’s degree in foreign service at Georgetown University and a Master of Public and International Affairs at the University of Pittsburgh.
