Mollie Foust is a faculty member in Northwestern University’s Master of Public Policy and Administration (MPPA) program, where she teaches courses on public organizational theory, public budgeting, policy, and nonprofit management. Her courses emphasize the practical application of theory, drawing directly on real-world experience to help students understand how government actually functions under pressure.
Before joining Northwestern, Mollie served as Senior Counselor to the Deputy Governors in Illinois Governor J.B. Pritzker’s administration, where she played a central role in cross-cutting initiatives—including leading elements of the state’s COVID-19 response. Her work during this period involved coordination across agencies, building new systems, and navigating the complex intersection of politics, bureaucracy, and crisis management. These firsthand experiences inform her teaching and shape her approach to organizational theory as a set of tools—not prescriptions—for solving real problems.
In addition to her academic role, Mollie leads public sector strategy and implementation engagements through Afton Partners and independent consulting. She has also held positions with Harvard’s Government Performance Lab and the World Bank Group, where she researched public sector innovations and performance incentive systems. Mollie holds an MPA in Public Management and Budgeting from the London School of Economics and dual BAs in History and Anthropology from the University of Rochester. She also serves as an elected member of the Palmer Elementary Local School Council in Chicago.
