Bill LaForge

Bill LaForge served as president of Delta State University in Mississippi for nine years. During his tenure, he also served on the NCAA Division II Presidents Council, and as president of the Gulf South Conference. A lawyer by training, Bill served on Capitol Hill as chief of staff to Sen. Thad Cochran (R-MS) and as legislative counsel to Rep. David Bowen (D-MS), as well as staff director for a U.S. Senate Appropriations Subcommittee. In the private sector, he managed a D.C. law office and was engaged in a government relations and lobbying practice for 22 years.

He is past national president of the Federal Bar Association, and is the author of the book, Testifying Before Congress. Bill was an adjunct professor at the George Washington University and Georgetown University for 30 years. He is a Fulbright Specialist and teaches regularly as a visiting professor at law schools in Europe. His undergraduate degree is in history from Delta State University, and his law degrees are a J.D. from the University of Mississippi and an L.LM. from Georgetown. He studied international and European law at Cambridge University and was a fellow in the European Community Visitors’ Program. Bill has served on the AASCU Government Relations Committee and has traveled with the association to foreign countries. He is frequent speaker and commentator on public policy, congressional processes, and Capitol Hill advocacy.