Tevi Troy, Presidential Historian and Former White House Official, Joins Straus Center

Tevi Troy, presidential historian and former United States deputy secretary of the Department of Health and Human Services, joined the Zahava and Moshael Straus Center for Torah and Western Thought as senior scholar and director of the Impact Office this fall. 

 As director of the Impact Office, Troy will mentor Straus students pursuing careers in politics, journalism and public affairs, will lead weekly reading groups, give courses on public policy and government and “help the Straus Center advance its goal of training the next generation of Modern Orthodox intellectual leaders," Rabbi Stuart Halpern, deputy director of the Straus Center, told The Commentator. 

“Dr. Troy is a well-respected scholar who is a proud Modern Orthodox Jew,” said Halpern. “A charismatic, warm, and insightful lecturer who is excited to help mentor the next generation of shapers of government and public policy, he will undoubtedly bring much to the team, and we are excited to welcome him to the YU family.”

Troy has served in several public policy positions throughout his career. In addition to being unanimously confirmed as deputy secretary of the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services during the Bush administration, Troy has also served as deputy assistant for domestic policy to President Bush and domestic policy director for the House Policy Committee.  

Aside from his personal experience in the executive branch, Troy has also studied the history of the White House. He has published several best-selling books about American politics, such as “What Jefferson Read, Ike Watched, and Obama Tweeted” and “Fight House: Rivalries in the White House from Truman to Trump,” which was listed among the Best Books of 2020 by the Wall Street Journal. Troy has also served as an adjunct fellow at the Hudson Institute, a contributing editor for Washingtonian magazine and a member of the publication committee of National Affairs. 

Troy also has deep ties to YU and the broader Jewish community. He is currently a member of the Board of Fellows of the Jewish Policy Center. 

“Dr. Troy has spoken at numerous Straus Center events and conferences over the years, and he contributed to the Straus Center’s book Esther in America,” said Halpern. “As a uniquely experienced professional who has served in the White House and authored numerous fascinating books and countless articles on both Jewish ideas and the intellectual tradition of America, he is a natural fit for the Straus Center.”

"I am excited to have this opportunity to work with YU students and the Straus Center, my dear friends Rabbi Soloveichik and Rabbi Halpern, and the rest of my new colleagues," Troy told The Commentator in a statement. 

Other faculty members joining the Straus Center this fall include Yisroel Ben-Porat (YC ‘18) as the center's new programming and communications officer and Sarah Wapner, who is returning as impact officer after holding the position from 2020 to 2022. 

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Photo Caption: Tevi Troy, former U.S. deputy secretary of health and human services, joined the Straus Center this fall as impact officer director. 

Photo Credit: U.S. Department of Health and Human Services