Lauren Cherry (JD ’10) has been a uniformed attorney, known as a judge advocate, in the U.S. Navy JAG Corps for the past 13 years. Now, she is participating in the competitive White House Fellows program. Fellows spend one year building an appreciation for the intricacies of the federal government by working as full-time, paid assistants to senior White House staff, cabinet secretaries, and other high-ranking government officials. Alumni of the program include former Secretary of State Gen. Colin Powell, historian Doris Kearns Goodwin, and Sanjay Gupta, MD. Cherry is one of just 15 fellows selected for the 2023-24 class.

What drew you to the White House Fellows program?

I wanted to learn more about how government operates. The military is very hierarchical—by design and by necessity—and I’ve had some pretty unique exposure to high-level decision-making within the Department of Defense. But I didn’t have that same level of insight across agencies. The fellowship was an opportunity to get that broad perspective sooner than if I waited until I had reached a certain rank and position within the military. 

How is the program structured?

There is your placement with your office, either in the White House or in another federal department or agency. [Cherry works at the CIA.] Then there is the education program, which primarily takes the form of a speaker series. Twice a week, we meet at the lunch hour and have candid discussions with people who have worked in very high levels of their profession, which could be government, business, the arts, anything. We’re able to ask questions of these leaders—sometimes very notable figures—which is a learning opportunity most people don’t get. Throughout the entire year, fellows have the chance to get to know one another and develop close ties.  The program brings together professionals from all walks of life, and we have the chance to learn from one another about the different perspectives and experiences that brought us each to this place.

What do you want people to know about the White House Fellowship?

I think there is an assumption with programs like this that you have to have a certain background or certain education in order to be accepted. All you need to be competitive in this program is a bachelor’s degree and the ability to articulate your commitment to service in any form. If you’re interested, don’t limit yourself by thinking, “This isn’t for me.” This is for you. This is for anyone who wants to be of service to their community.

What’s next for you?

I’ll go back to the JAG Corps at the end of the fellowship, but long-term, I’m interested in disinformation, which I see as an existential threat to democracies. Democracies only function with the consent and participation of the people. That’s why I think disinformation is most dangerous when it’s spread by public figures, even unintentionally. Disinformation erodes trust and confidence in public figures and institutions, and it complicates people’s ability to make informed decisions based on facts.

So I’m interested in what we, as a society, can do to counter the effects of disinformation. I compare it to smoking: There was a time when smoking was glamorized in advertisements and entertainment. But over the course of a generation, we largely changed the way society thinks about smoking. Government regulations played a part, but what really mattered was that multiple sectors—the medical community, the media, schools, businesses—all emphasized the negative effects of smoking.

I want to work toward similar change around disinformation. That could be working in the federal government (whose role, I think, will be fairly limited) or with social media companies, to develop effective policies for identifying disinformation. There’s also a large role for state and local governments because they have the power to integrate skills like media literacy into K-12 curricula. Employers of all sizes can play a role by promoting civic engagement, which is key. Every sector of society will have to contribute to this mission, and I’m open to combatting disinformation in any arena. –Liz Miller (November 2023)