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Mike Pompeo, Zane Richer to lead Liberty’s Center for Law & Government

Mike Pompeo

Liberty University has announced that former CIA Director and the 70th Secretary of State Mike Pompeo will serve as senior executive director of the Center for Law & Government, and government professor Zane Richer will serve as deputy director.

The center is an academic hub dedicated to advancing the principles, knowledge, and skills necessary for faculty and students to positively impact the fields of public policy, government, law, foreign policy, international relations, and criminal justice by providing original and relevant scholarship from a biblical worldview.

“I am honored and excited to serve as senior executive director of Liberty University’s Center for Law & Government. Throughout my career in public service, I’ve seen firsthand that America’s strength comes not just from our military might or economic power, but from our Judeo-Christian foundations,” said Pompeo. “It’s a pleasure and a privilege to work with Liberty to equip the next generation not just with knowledge of law and government, but with the wisdom and character to be Champions for Christ in whatever arena God calls them to serve. The challenges facing our nation, from threats to religious liberty at home to authoritarian aggression abroad, require leaders who can think strategically while remaining anchored in the values that have made America exceptional.”

“Secretary Pompeo is first and foremost a Champion for Christ who puts his faith first,” said Provost and Chief Academic Officer Scott Hicks. “Our Liberty students and faculty will benefit greatly from Pompeo’s integration of critical scholarship, real-world experience, and authentic Christian faith. Having had a distinguished career as an entrepreneur and public official and having served in two presidential appointments at the highest levels of government, Mike Pompeo brings a wealth of wisdom, leadership, and public policy experience to Liberty University’s academic programming.”

As senior executive director, Pompeo will contribute his expertise in public policy, international relations, and national security to advance the university’s mission of Training Champions for Christ. He will focus on serving the student body and building relationships with faculty, staff, alumni, and other members of the Liberty community.

Pompeo has been married to his wife, Susan, for over 24 years. They have one son, Nick, and a grandson, Jack. Pompeo has also served in ministry throughout his robust career, as both a deacon and a fifth-grade Sunday school teacher.

“Secretary Pompeo is an integral part of Liberty University and the Helms School of Government,” said Maj. Gen. (Ret.) Jason Q. Bohm, dean of the School of Government. “We wanted to share his depth of knowledge, experience, and insights across all aspects of government to expanded audiences. His leadership and counsel will ensure a more enriching, thought-provoking, and rewarding experience for all. We are blessed to have him on our team.”

Zane Richer

After two years of serving as an adjunct professor with the Helms School of Government, Richer has transitioned into his new role as deputy director. He will also teach courses as an assistant professor.

Richer has studied in the fields of political theology and philosophy. He received his Master of Arts in Public Policy from Liberty and will graduate with his Doctor of Philosophy in Political Theology from the Kirby Laing Centre for Public Theology at Cambridge University in January 2026. His research focuses on the roots of political divisions in America and explores how these conflicts are shaped by the religious convictions that lie at the core of the human heart.

Richer and his wife, Nicole, recently celebrated the birth of their first child.

“I am most excited about engaging with our students in the process of a deep communal reflection on the religious foundations of human life and culture, so that we might begin to develop amongst ourselves a genuinely Christian mind on the question of law, politics, and government,” Richer said.

“Professor Richer is a future leader of the Helms School of Government,” Bohm said. “We cannot be happier than to provide him this opportunity to contribute more fully to the accomplishment of our mission of Training Champions for Christ, while growing and learning under the mentorship of Secretary Pompeo.”

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