Veteran Senate staffer Andy Newton has been tapped to lead Auburn University’s newly launched Office of Federal Relations.
In announcing the office Monday, a press release from the university said it “will serve as the chief liaison hub between the university and both elected and appointed officials from the federal legislative and executive branches, helping bring Auburn expertise and capabilities to bear on federal priorities.”
The office will also establish a process for identifying federal grant opportunities in support of Auburn research and sponsored programs.
Newton has worked in Washington for almost 15 years, including stints in Alabama’s Senate delegation and the U.S. Treasury Department. He most recently served as the staff director of the Senate Appropriations Subcommittee on Financial Services and General Government.
Newton has a bachelor’s degree in accounting and a master’s degree in higher education accounting from Auburn.
“My love for Auburn University runs deep, and it is an honor to lead this initiative aimed at further growing the university’s relationships in the nation’s capital while advancing Auburn programs that intersect with the federal government,” Newton said in a written statement.
Auburn Executive Vice President Ron Burgess said the university has always maintained strong relations with representatives at the federal level.
“This heightened focus of collaboration at the highest level only further strengthens those efforts and sets Auburn apart as a leader in innovation and discovery primed to propel our state and nation forward,” he said.