Management Team
Jim Kessler
Vice President for Policy
Mr. Kessler is an accomplished veteran of Capitol Hill, political campaigns, and public advocacy. Before co-founding Third Way, he served as the Director of Policy and Research at AGS where he helped to develop new messaging and policies to handle the volatile gun issue. From 1993 to 2001, Mr. Kessler served as Legislative and Policy Director to Charles Schumer (D-NY), taking a leave of absence in 1998 to run the policy and speechwriting shop for Schumer’s successful run for the United States Senate. As the top policy aide to Mr. Schumer, Mr. Kessler helped pass landmark legislation on crime, gun safety, and domestic violence. A prolific writer, Mr. Kessler penned more than a dozen political columns for UPI.com during the last presidential election and has drafted speeches for a broad array of public figures. Mr. Kessler has also appeared frequently as a political commentator in the press and on 60 Minutes and other news programs. Mr. Kessler earned his Masters Degree in Public Policy from the John F. Kennedy School of Government and his BA in Political Science from Boston University.