Vice President of Governmental and Community Affairs, Boston College

Thomas J. Keady, Jr. serves as the Vice President of Governmental and Community Affairs at Boston College where he is responsible for overseeing the University’s government relations and community affairs efforts in Boston, Newton, Dover, Brookline and Washington, DC. In this position, Tom directs all aspects of Boston College’s interface with federal, state and city levels of government, as well the University’s outreach and interaction with local residents, community groups, and organizations.

Tom played an instrumental role in the City of Boston’s approval of Boston College’s Institutional Master Plan in 2009 which included over $1 billion of investment in new construction and renovation projects in Boston and Newton. Completed projects in Boston include the construction of 1,030 beds of student housing in new and renovated residence halls located at 2150 Commonwealth Avenue and 2000 Commonwealth Avenue, the renovation of 2101 Commonwealth Avenue for the McMullen Museum of Art and University Conference Center, and three new state-of-the art athletic and recreational facilities: the Pete Frates Center, the Connell Recreation Center and the Fish Field House.

In Newton, Tom coordinated the regulatory and permitting approvals for the University’s new science building, the Schiller Institute for Integrated Science and Society, currently under construction on middle campus. Working with Cassidy Associates and the BC research community, Tom secured millions of dollars in federal funding to support research and address critical societal issues in the areas of energy, health, climate and the environment.

Prior to joining Boston College in 2002, Tom held the position of Vice President of Government Relations and Community Affairs at Northeastern University where during his 15 year tenure, he played a key role in advancing campus development plans, securing federal research funding and strengthening relationships with executive and legislative offices, city agencies and neighborhood groups. In addition to his higher education background, Tom brings extensive expertise and knowledge of the political and legislative process through his work in municipal government and on local, state and national campaigns. Tom is a graduate of the University of Massachusetts-Boston, where he earned a Bachelor of Arts degree in political science. He is a life-long resident of Boston, growing up in Allston and now residing in West Roxbury.