Fred Turner

Fred Turner serves as a Principal in BGR’s International Practice where he brings perspective from a long and distinguished career on both sides of Capitol Hill and as Chief of Staff to the U.S. Helsinki Commission. He also provides valuable insights and support to clients in the Commerce and Financial Services practices. Fred was named a 2022 Top Lobbyist by The Hill newspaper.

Prior to joining BGR, Fred served as Chief of Staff to Senator Robert Menendez (D-NJ), Chairman of the Senate Foreign Relations Committee. In this role, Fred served as the Senator’s top policy and political advisor. A Garden State native, Fred joined Senator Menendez after serving as Chief of Staff at the Commission on Security and Cooperation in Europe, frequently known as the U.S. Helsinki Commission. He was jointly appointed to that position by Senator Ben Cardin (D-MD) and Congressman Alcee Hastings (D-FL) and served for seven years. While there, he advised Commissioners on foreign policy matters and organized and participated in more than two dozen Congressional delegations abroad throughout Europe, Eurasia, the Middle East, and the Maghreb.

Fred served for more than twelve years on the staff of Congressman Hastings, the last seven as Chief of Staff. He also served as an Associate Staff Member of the U.S. House of Representatives Rules Committee, Democratic Staff Director of the Rules Subcommittee on Legislative and Budget Process, and Democratic Staff Director of the U.S. House of Representatives International Relations Subcommittee on Europe. He also served as Legislative Director for Congresswoman Karen McCarthy (D-MO).

Fred is an honors graduate of American University where he earned his B.A. and M.A. in political science. He also served as an Adjunct Professor of Government at American University’s School of Public Affairs. He is the author of The Participation of Members of the U.S. Congress in NATO and the Organization for Security and Cooperation in Europe (OSCE) Assemblies (co-authored with Zlatko Sabic). In 2018, the Congressional Hispanic Leadership Institute honored Fred with the Vermillion Award in recognition of his work to advance the Hispanic Community in the United States.

• U.S. Foreign Policy and National Security
• Senate and House Policy and Procedure

• American University

  B.A. and M.A. in Political Science