Dr. Patrick Clowney
U.S. Department of Education
2023 fellow
Dr. Patrick Clowney is a combat veteran of the Global War on Terrorism. He has risen up the ranks in the U.S. Air Force, private sector, and the Federal Government. Dr. Clowney currently serves as the Deputy Chief Engineer of Federal Student Aid for the U.S. Department of Education. He is responsible for the technical implementation of the Free Application for Federal Student Aid (FAFSA) Simplification Act and FUTURE Act.
As the technical implementation leader, he directs all technological and engineering initiatives within Federal Student Aid and their integration with other federal agencies. Prior to joining the Department of Education, Dr. Clowney served as an engineer with the National Nuclear Security Administration, where he focused on requirements and risk management for the nation’s nuclear enterprise. In the private sector, Dr. Clowney held several leadership positions with Amazon fulfillment centers and Amazon Web Services, where he led large scale global technical programs. He served the community as the Chairman of D.C. Public Schools (DCPS) Head Start Parents’ Policy Council and as a member of the DCPS Chancellor’s Parent Cabinet.
He currently serves on Congresswoman Eleanor Homes Norton’s Service Academy Selection Committee and as Chairman of the Board of Directors for the DC Prep Public Charter School program. Dr. Clowney earned his doctorate in philosophy in systems engineering from The George Washington University. In addition, Dr. Clowney has a bachelor’s degree in engineering mechanics from the U.S. Air Force Academy, a master’s degree in organizational behavior from The George Washington University, a master’s degree in public administration from the University of Oklahoma, a master’s degree in national security studies from the Naval Command and Staff College, and a master’s degree of applied science (MAS) from the School of Advanced Air and Space Power. As a White House Leadership Development Program Fellow, Dr. Clowney is assigned to the White House of Science and Technology Policy.
