Introducing the first Daniel Ellsberg Chair in Government Secrecy

“We are so proud to carry on the legacy of our late co-founder, Daniel Ellsberg, with this important position,” said Trevor Timm, FPF Executive Director. “Dan fought tirelessly and eloquently for secrecy reform for more than 50 years. We are extremely grateful that Lauren Harper will carry the torch in his name.”

Harper comes to FPF after spending a decade fighting excessive government secrecy with the Washington, DC-based nonprofit National Security Archive. There, she served as director of public policy, helping historians, journalists, and the public win the release of historically significant government documents. She has extensive experience with the Freedom of Information Act, both as a prolific FOIA requester and as a former member of the Federal FOIA Advisory Committee, and is an expert on the classification system, the Presidential Records Act, and records management issues. She holds a master's degree in public policy and a master's degree in Middle Eastern studies, both from the University of Chicago.

“Daniel Ellsberg knew better than most that there are too many secrets and that they threaten our security,” Harper said. “I am honored, humbled and excited to continue the fight against the secrecy system. I hope my work will help more people understand and question the mechanisms of government secrecy and the validity (or lack thereof) of those secrets.”

For more information about the Daniel Ellsberg Chair on Government Secrecy or if you would like to interview Lauren Harper for an article, please contact [email protected].