Georgetown Law Names David Mao Chief of Staff

WASHINGTON, D.C. (February 16, 2017) – Georgetown University Law Center announced today that David Mao (L’93) has taken on the institution’s newly created position of Chief of Staff and Assistant Vice President of Administration. Mao, who joins Georgetown Law after 11 years at the Library of Congress, including serving as Acting Librarian of Congress, will play a crucial role in aligning administrative activities with academic operations and finances at Georgetown Law. Mao will serve on the senior leadership team, reporting to Executive Vice President and Dean of Georgetown Law William M. Treanor.

“As Georgetown Law continues to build on its position as a global leader in legal education through our growing centers, institutes and innovative initiatives, our ambitions require world-class administrative leadership,” said Treanor.  “As a graduate, David understands our deep commitment to our students, scholarship and expanding access to justice.  As an experienced manager of another world-class institution, he is incomparably equipped to lead administrative and financial operations of our expanding Law Center.”

Mao brings significant experience in guiding the operations of a major educational organization committed to excellence. As Acting Librarian of Congress, a position he held from October 2015 through September 2016, he supervised a staff of approximately 3200 and a budget of nearly $650 million. During this time, Mao led efforts to improve the Library's information technology staffing, renovate the institution's approach to operations and create a new division that focuses on outward-facing programs, both nationally and internationally.

Prior to his role as Deputy Librarian, Mao was the 23rd Law Librarian of Congress, serving in that position since January 2012. During his tenure, he expanded the Law Library’s collections, particularly in the area of rare law books; oversaw improvements to on-site law collection storage and renovation of the Law Library reading room; initiated new strategies to make U.S. public domain legal materials accessible online; and brought to the Library a 1215 Magna Carta for an historic exhibition on the eve of the Great Charter’s 800th anniversary.

Mao has also worked for the Congressional Research Service and Covington & Burling. A graduate of Georgetown University Law Center and a Phi Beta Kappa graduate of The George Washington University, he practiced law for a number of years before receiving his library degree at The Catholic University of America. He is admitted to the District of Columbia bar.