The Civitas Institute appointed Ryan Streeter on Sept. 5 to lead publication and research for the Institute. 

Streeter formerly served as Executive Director for UT’s Center for Politics and Governance, a special assistant for domestic policy during the George W. Bush administration and deputy chief of staff for policy and strategy from 2013 to 2017 for former Indiana Governor Mike Pence. 

“We did a national search, posted the position online, looked at the best candidates, and Ryan emerged,” said Justin Dyer, executive director of the Civitas Institute. “If you ask people who would be good in this role, he’s right at the top of everybody’s list. We’re excited to have him return to UT after having him on loan to Washington D.C. for a few years.”

Dyer said the Civitas Institute’s areas of interest sit in the spheres of politics, economics, individual liberty, constitutionalism and the foundation of a free economy. With Streeter’s hiring, the Institute can focus on those themes and develop research projects to produce high-level scholarship in those spheres. The Institute has been described as a conservative think tank. 

In May, the UT System regents unanimously approved the creation of a new college to house the Institute called the School of Civic Leadership. 

“We aim to do a lot of work on economic freedom, development and growth,” Streeter said. “Economic dynamism, really. How do you have an economy that creates the most opportunity for people to work their way up and pursue their dreams? What policy changes do we need? … We’ll be focused on a lot of those issues.”

Streeter said the Institute will focus on institutional failures in the country, with a particular focus on Congress. The Institute aims to influence national debate and federal policy in Washington D.C.