Mike Ringler

Mike Ringler came to the office of Community and Governmental Relations in 2015 as the Senior Director for Federal Relations at the University of Pittsburgh.

As Senior Director for Federal Relations, he is the primary liaison between the University and the federal government, working closely with Pennsylvania’s congressional delegation and their staff to advocate for University priorities. Ringler is also the principal point of contact for University partnerships with executive branch agencies. He develops and implements the University’s federal agenda, analyzes and influences federal higher education and research policy, and advises the Chancellor and other University leaders on federal issues. Mr. 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 the Committee on Appropriations of the U.S. House of Representatives for 17 years, most recently serving as the 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 United States international broadcasting, and for the Bureau of Educational and Cultural Affairs of the United States Information Agency. He began his federal government career as a Presidential Management Intern with the United States Information Agency. Ringler earned a Bachelor of Science in Foreign Service from Georgetown University, and a Masters of Public and International Affairs from the University of Pittsburgh.