Liberty alumna brings faith-filled perspective to policymaking as chief of staff for House Speaker Mike Johnson

Liberty University alumna Ruth Ward (’18) has spent the greater part of the last 20 years working to bring a faith-centered view into policymaking conversations. Today, as chief of staff in the office of the Speaker of the House of Representatives, Rep. Mike Johnson (R-La.), she continues that mission on the national stage in Washington.

Ward grew up in a small town just outside of New Orleans. While the Christian faith was a cornerstone of her upbringing, her interest in politics came when she went on a field trip to the state capitol in Baton Rouge as a senior in high school and experienced a “light bulb moment” that awakened a passion inside her.

“There was something that really came alive in me that I believe was God calling for Christians to engage in policy,” Ward said. “I just knew that that was the way the Lord was driving my life — to get involved in politics, but from a Christian worldview.”

A few weeks after the trip, Ward returned to the capitol to seek a job in a state representative’s office. They told her to come back when she was in college. When she arrived at Louisiana State University, she kept calling until she landed a job delivering mail around the capitol. She looks back on it as her introduction to the institutional government workers who dutifully serve alongside elected officials.

Ward worked in the state capital throughout her undergraduate studies, working for Louisiana Family Forum, a nonprofit organization for advancing life, liberty, and limited government. After receiving her bachelor’s degree in business management in 2012, she continued working in Baton Rouge but knew that she wanted to keep growing her skill set, especially in the realm of policy. Seeking flexibility and a specific policy focus for her graduate degree, Ward pursued a master’s in public policy through Liberty University Online Programs.

“At the end of the day, I really enjoy the depth of policy and that was what was drawing me back into starting school,” Ward said. “Liberty gave me the opportunity to be flexible that if there was another job opportunity that wasn’t in Baton Rouge, I knew that I would be able to take it with me.”

Ward was in the middle of the program when Johnson was elected to the U.S. House of Representatives, and when she was offered a position as a scheduler on his staff, she accepted it immediately and headed to Washington.

She worked as Johnson’s scheduler for three years. After having her first child in 2020, she transitioned into being a policy staffer and director of operations in Johnson’s office. Toward the end of 2022, as Ward was expecting her second child, she accepted a position working for Family Policy Alliance, a nonprofit organization aiming to advance biblical values through civic engagement. When Johnson was elected Speaker of the House in October of 2023, Ward returned to his staff within a week, assuming the chief of staff position in his personal office.

Ward’s team focuses on Johnson’s constituents back home, connecting with the leadership office team to ensure that the needs of the Louisiana people are considered in national policy discussions. As a Louisiana native, Ward said focusing on the ways her office can best serve families in her home state has been one of the most rewarding and motivating elements of her job.

“I believe that the best days are ahead, and Louisiana is right there with us on having the best days ahead,” she said. “We want to take what (Louisianans) say to heart and actually be able to instruct policy in the larger office.”

Ward credits her Liberty education with rounding out her understanding of policy with a depth she likely wouldn’t have encountered at other universities. The program’s focus on how worldview shapes the reasoning behind policy decisions has helped her find clarity in applying her faith to policymaking.

“As believers, we have a Christian worldview,” Ward said. “To be able to pull that in and write deeply about it was something that was incredibly instrumental for my success later on, especially as I joined the policy team.”

Having a firm foundation of faith has helped her as a staffer on Capitol Hill, as she encounters people who come from different backgrounds daily. She cited Matthew 5:16 as a motivator for her work, seeking to “let my light shine before others.”

“Just like any other field that God has called you to, it’s important to shine a light not only in the work that you do but also in the way that you carry yourself and want the best for others and care about the person next to you, no matter what their party affiliation is,” Ward said.

Ward is grateful to be part of the Liberty alumni community in Washington and to help Liberty students within her role; many have served as interns in her office.

As of 2025, there were over 100 Liberty alumni working with members of Congress or other governmental agencies in Washington, creating ample opportunities for current and former Liberty students to connect.

“With the Liberty network, there are so many connections in every sector of society that if someone is interested, there are Liberty graduates all over the place that want to help you succeed.”