Roy Neel
Encyclopedia
Roy M. Neel is a Democratic Party
operative who served as a top assistant to Vice President
Al Gore
and President
Bill Clinton
.
, Neel joined the United States Navy
and served a tour of duty in Vietnam
as a photojournalist. Early in his career, he worked as a sportswriter for the Nashville Banner
, and his 1975 book Dynamite! 75 Years of Vanderbilt Basketball can still be found on the bookshelves of many homes in the Music City. Also in his earlier years, he started an aerial photography business and a political consulting firm, and he served on the staff of the Mayor of Nashville
. http://sitemason.vanderbilt.edu/files/c/c4uDeM/Neel%20Roy%20BIOROYNEEL.pdf Neel graduated from Vanderbilt University
in 1977 and earned a Master of Public Administration
degree from Harvard University
in 1983.
In 1977, he joined Gore's Congressional staff. He stayed throughout Gore's Congressional career, rising to the position of Chief of Staff in Gore's Senate office. In 1992, he managed Gore's vice presidential campaign; he then participated in the White House transition and became Chief of Staff to the Vice President
. In 1994, after 17 years of service to Gore, Neel went on to serve as President Clinton's Deputy White House Chief of Staff
. He was responsible for coordinating policy and communications. http://sitemason.vanderbilt.edu/files/c/c4uDeM/Neel%20Roy%20BIOROYNEEL.pdf
After his White House service, Neel worked for seven years as President and CEO of the United States Telecom Association
, representing the regional Bell companies and almost 1,000 local telecom companies. He was a director of public and corporate boards, including the National Railroad Passenger Corporation (Amtrak). He directed Gore's transition planning during the 2000 presidential election and Florida recount. In 2004, he served briefly as Vermont
Governor Howard Dean
's campaign manager and then directed the Nader Project, an effort at mitigating the effects of Ralph Nader
on Democratic electoral success.
He currently serves as chief of staff for former Vice President Al Gore and his organizational advocacy on climate change. He is also a senior advisor to the Climate Project, which has trained 2,500 individuals around the world to spread the message about the climate crisis.
Neel is also an Adjunct Professor of Political Science at Vanderbilt, where he teaches courses in Presidential Transitions and Presidential Leadership.
http://sitemason.vanderbilt.edu/files/c/c4uDeM/Neel%20Roy%20BIOROYNEEL.pdf
Democratic Party (United States)
The Democratic Party is one of two major contemporary political parties in the United States, along with the Republican Party. The party's socially liberal and progressive platform is largely considered center-left in the U.S. political spectrum. The party has the lengthiest record of continuous...
operative who served as a top assistant to Vice President
Vice President of the United States
The Vice President of the United States is the holder of a public office created by the United States Constitution. The Vice President, together with the President of the United States, is indirectly elected by the people, through the Electoral College, to a four-year term...
Al Gore
Al Gore
Albert Arnold "Al" Gore, Jr. served as the 45th Vice President of the United States , under President Bill Clinton. He was the Democratic Party's nominee for President in the 2000 U.S. presidential election....
and President
President of the United States
The President of the United States of America is the head of state and head of government of the United States. The president leads the executive branch of the federal government and is the commander-in-chief of the United States Armed Forces....
Bill Clinton
Bill Clinton
William Jefferson "Bill" Clinton is an American politician who served as the 42nd President of the United States from 1993 to 2001. Inaugurated at age 46, he was the third-youngest president. He took office at the end of the Cold War, and was the first president of the baby boomer generation...
.
Biography
Raised in Smyrna, TennesseeSmyrna, Tennessee
Smyrna is a town in Rutherford County, Tennessee, United States. Smyrna's population was 25,569 people at the 2000 census. The Census estimate of the 2009 population is 39,142.-Geography:Smyrna is located at ....
, Neel joined the United States Navy
United States Navy
The United States Navy is the naval warfare service branch of the United States Armed Forces and one of the seven uniformed services of the United States. The U.S. Navy is the largest in the world; its battle fleet tonnage is greater than that of the next 13 largest navies combined. The U.S...
and served a tour of duty in Vietnam
Vietnam War
The Vietnam War was a Cold War-era military conflict that occurred in Vietnam, Laos, and Cambodia from 1 November 1955 to the fall of Saigon on 30 April 1975. This war followed the First Indochina War and was fought between North Vietnam, supported by its communist allies, and the government of...
as a photojournalist. Early in his career, he worked as a sportswriter for the Nashville Banner
Nashville Banner
The Nashville Banner is a defunct daily newspaper of Nashville, Tennessee, United States, which published from April 10, 1876 until February 20, 1998...
, and his 1975 book Dynamite! 75 Years of Vanderbilt Basketball can still be found on the bookshelves of many homes in the Music City. Also in his earlier years, he started an aerial photography business and a political consulting firm, and he served on the staff of the Mayor of Nashville
Nashville, Tennessee
Nashville is the capital of the U.S. state of Tennessee and the county seat of Davidson County. It is located on the Cumberland River in Davidson County, in the north-central part of the state. The city is a center for the health care, publishing, banking and transportation industries, and is home...
. http://sitemason.vanderbilt.edu/files/c/c4uDeM/Neel%20Roy%20BIOROYNEEL.pdf Neel graduated from Vanderbilt University
Vanderbilt University
Vanderbilt University is a private research university located in Nashville, Tennessee, United States. Founded in 1873, the university is named for shipping and rail magnate "Commodore" Cornelius Vanderbilt, who provided Vanderbilt its initial $1 million endowment despite having never been to the...
in 1977 and earned a Master of Public Administration
Master of Public Administration
The Master of Public Administration is a professional post-graduate degree in Public Administration. The MPA program prepares individuals to serve as managers in the executive arm of local, state/provincial, and federal/national government, and increasingly in nongovernmental organization and...
degree from Harvard University
Harvard University
Harvard University is a private Ivy League university located in Cambridge, Massachusetts, United States, established in 1636 by the Massachusetts legislature. Harvard is the oldest institution of higher learning in the United States and the first corporation chartered in the country...
in 1983.
In 1977, he joined Gore's Congressional staff. He stayed throughout Gore's Congressional career, rising to the position of Chief of Staff in Gore's Senate office. In 1992, he managed Gore's vice presidential campaign; he then participated in the White House transition and became Chief of Staff to the Vice President
Chief of Staff to the Vice President of the United States
The Chief of Staff to the Vice President of the United States is the Chief of Staff position within the Office of the Vice President, part of the Executive Office of the President of the United States...
. In 1994, after 17 years of service to Gore, Neel went on to serve as President Clinton's Deputy White House Chief of Staff
Deputy White House Chief of Staff
The White House Deputy Chief of Staff is officially the top aide to the White House Chief of Staff, who is the senior aide to the President of the United States. The Deputy Chief of Staff usually has an office in the West Wing and is responsible for ensuring the smooth running of the White House...
. He was responsible for coordinating policy and communications. http://sitemason.vanderbilt.edu/files/c/c4uDeM/Neel%20Roy%20BIOROYNEEL.pdf
After his White House service, Neel worked for seven years as President and CEO of the United States Telecom Association
United States Telecom Association
The United States Telecom Association , founded in 1897, is the trade association for broadband service providers and their suppliers. The Association represents the broadband industry before the United States Congress, the United States federal courts, and the White House.-External links:* * *...
, representing the regional Bell companies and almost 1,000 local telecom companies. He was a director of public and corporate boards, including the National Railroad Passenger Corporation (Amtrak). He directed Gore's transition planning during the 2000 presidential election and Florida recount. In 2004, he served briefly as Vermont
Vermont
Vermont is a state in the New England region of the northeastern United States of America. The state ranks 43rd in land area, , and 45th in total area. Its population according to the 2010 census, 630,337, is the second smallest in the country, larger only than Wyoming. It is the only New England...
Governor Howard Dean
Howard Dean
Howard Brush Dean III is an American politician and physician from Vermont. He served six terms as the 79th Governor of Vermont and ran unsuccessfully for the 2004 Democratic presidential nomination. He was chairman of the Democratic National Committee from 2005 to 2009. Although his U.S...
's campaign manager and then directed the Nader Project, an effort at mitigating the effects of Ralph Nader
Ralph Nader
Ralph Nader is an American political activist, as well as an author, lecturer, and attorney. Areas of particular concern to Nader include consumer protection, humanitarianism, environmentalism, and democratic government....
on Democratic electoral success.
He currently serves as chief of staff for former Vice President Al Gore and his organizational advocacy on climate change. He is also a senior advisor to the Climate Project, which has trained 2,500 individuals around the world to spread the message about the climate crisis.
Neel is also an Adjunct Professor of Political Science at Vanderbilt, where he teaches courses in Presidential Transitions and Presidential Leadership.
http://sitemason.vanderbilt.edu/files/c/c4uDeM/Neel%20Roy%20BIOROYNEEL.pdf