Jonathan Burks

Mr. Jonathan Burks is Vice President for global public policy at Walmart where he leads the global retailer’s efforts to analyze and develop positions on pressing public policy issues. In August 2022, the Senate confirmed Burks to serve on the Board of Directors of the US Institute of Peace. 

Prior to joining Walmart, he was a partner at the Brunswick Group, the global critical issues consultancy, where he was the co-lead for the U.S. public affairs office. 

Before moving to the private sector, Burks spent nearly two decades in public service culminating in his service as the chief of staff to Speaker of the House Paul Ryan, acting as the Speaker’s principal adviser on policy, strategy, and management. His prior positions include advisor on budget and appropriations to Senate Republican Leader Mitch McConnell , policy director of the House Budget Committee with a focus on defense budgeting, director of legislative affairs at the Securities and Exchange Commission,  senior advisor to the Under Secretary of the Treasury for International Affairs, and policy advisor in the transition office for the Director of National Intelligence.

Early in his career, he served four years at the White House working first for Vice President Cheney and then for President Bush in a variety of positions including as the Vice President’s staff secretary, associate staff secretary to the President, and special assistant to the President for policy in the Chief of Staff’s office. 

During a leave of absence from government service, Burks was the deputy policy director on the 2012 Romney for President campaign. 

Burks holds a Master of Arts from the School of Advanced International Studies at Johns Hopkins University and a Bachelor of Science in foreign service from Georgetown University.