Molly O’Rourke

Molly O’Rourke

is a partner at Hart Research, helping to direct projects for advocacy organizations, electoral campaigns, media outlets, and major foundations. Her work involves both qualitative and quantitative research to inform communication efforts and includes focus group moderating, data analytics, and ad testing. Molly is especially proud of her work for Planned Parenthood, Climate Action Campaign, the DCCC, and the Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation, among other clients.

Currently, Molly also serves as an Executive in Residence at American University where she has a joint appointment at both the School of Communication and the School of Public Affairs. She is also the director of the Master’s program in Political Communication and teaches courses in research methodology and campaign management, among other subjects.  Molly is a member and former chair of the university’s Institutional Review Board (IRB) which oversees all human-subject research.

Molly started her career in politics working for the late Senator Frank R. Lautenberg (D-NJ) and at EMILYs List. For several years, she co-wrote a monthly column about politics and public opinion, titled “Behind the Numbers” for The Hill.  She has served as an adjunct professor at Johns Hopkins University and guest lectured on politics and advocacy at Duke University, Brown University, and the University of Pennsylvania.

A political science major at Brown University, where she graduated Phi Beta Kappa and magna cum laude, Molly holds a master’s degree from the University of Michigan, where she was awarded a Kellogg Foundation Fellowship.  She has served and continues to serve on several boards, including the Brown Alumni Association Board of Governors and a D.C. based theater company.  She lives in Washington, DC, with her husband and their gigantic Newfoundland. They have two grown children.