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SIPA Faculty
Basil Smikle
International Affairs Building, 13th Floor
Adjunct Lecturer of International and Public Affairs
Phone: 212-854-3213
bs2389@columbia.edu
Biography:
Basil Smikle Jr. is the founder of Basil Smikle Associates, a full-service consulting interest based in New York. His firm relies upon his political and policy background as well as comprehensive partnerships with individuals across the country to provide a one-stop shop for political strategy, policy analysis, and government affairs. The firm also provides comprehensive public relations strategies in difficult political and media environments. He has also consulted on a number of campaigns in New York State and elsewhere in the Country.
Basil was previously the State Director for the Lieberman for President Campaign in New York. Among his many responsibilities, he was the political and administration leader for the effort to elect Senator Lieberman from the State.
From January 2001 to September of 2003, Basil was a top aide to Senator Hillary Rodham Clinton and became the Senator's Deputy State Director. In that capacity, he acted as the Senator's liaison to elected officials, labor leaders and community-based organizations throughout the State of New York. He was also instrumental in determining the policy and political strategy for the State and assisted in the management of seven regional offices. Basil traveled with the Senator during her campaign, and managed her events from the field. He also joined the Senator's delegations to Vietnam and Israel for the White House during the Clinton Administration.
Basil graduated from Cornell University in 1993 where he earned a Bachelor of Science in Industrial and Labor Relations, concentrating in Labor Law. During his undergraduate studies, Basil received a Community Service award from the University for his work at WVBR-FM, an upstate New York radio station. Basil was both the station's producer and on-air personality bringing music, news and talk show programming to Upstate New York.
At the age of 22, Basil was a benefits manager at The National Benefit Fund, the support agency for over two hundred thousand Local 1199 members of the Service Employees International Union.
In 1996, Basil graduated from Columbia University's School of International and Public Affairs with a Masters Degree in Public Policy, concentrating in Urban Development. He received the Columbia University Departmental Fellowship and the Public Affairs Research Fellowship.
Later, Basil went back to his home in The Bronx and worked as a Special Assistant to Bronx Borough President, and former mayoral candidate, Fernando Ferrer. He was actively involved in policy and decision-making on a variety of issues until leaving in 2000 to join Senator Clinton's staff.
Basil is an often-quoted consultant. His observations may be found in a variety of media outlets including the New York Times, Newsday and Crain's Insider. He has appeared on local and national television and radio news programs to comment about politics and government policy.
Basil affiliations include: - Member, Caribbean American Chamber of Commerce and Industry - Member, Brazilian-American Chamber of Commerce - Member, 100 Black Men of New York, Inc. - Member, Prince Hall Free and Accepted Masons of the State of New York - Associate of the Community Service Society of New York - Board member of Young Athletes Inc. Advisory boards of both Public Allies, Inc. and BELL Inc. - Building Educated Leaders for Life.