Lee Hamilton was a towering figure in public service and the most consequential leader in the history of the Wilson Center. During his tenure as president of the Center from 1999 to 2010, Lee guided it through a pivotal moment and left an enduring legacy that continues to shape who we are and how we serve the nation.

Lee transformed the Wilson Center, instituting a focus on policy relevance that best meets our mission to bridge scholarship and policy and continues to this day. That commitment permeates the spirit of the Center. The expectation that rigorous ideas must inform real-world decisions which we now take for granted was forged by Lee’s vision.

Universally respected across party lines, Lee brought to the Wilson Center an extraordinary network of global leaders, presidents, members of Congress, and senior officials. He made the Center a place where consequential conversations could happen in an environment of fierce nonpartisanship.

Lee’s leadership was perhaps most evident during moments of crisis. When our Middle East Program Director, Haleh Esfandiari, was unjustly imprisoned in Iran, Lee responded with calm resolve, moral clarity, and unflagging persistence. Few leaders could have navigated such a moment with the trust and authority Lee commanded.

Lee was famously approachable to Wilson Center staff, fellows, and visiting scholars, spending time each day in the cafeteria to exchange thoughts, ideas and stories. His wife, Nancy, was closely involved during his tenure, which demonstrated their deep personal commitment to the Wilson Center.

Lee also wrote extensively himself, including publishing a book explaining how Congress worked and the Legislative branch’s relationship with the Executive on foreign policy. Lee’s devotion to public service and genuine curiosity about ideas was deeply inspiring to everyone who had the opportunity to work with him.

The Wilson Center became a stronger institution because of Lee Hamiton, and the nation is better served because of his life’s work. We extend our deepest condolences to his family and honor his memory by carrying forward the values he instilled: integrity, nonpartisanship, and public service.