Acting Director, Center for Legislative Archives

Jay Wyatt was appointed Acting Director of the Center for Legislative Archives in December 2024 after serving as the Center’s Deputy Director for 4 years.  In this role, Jay leads an expansive portfolio focused on preserving and providing access to the records of the legislative branch, including the Records of the U.S. Senate, U.S. House of Representatives, and numerous historically significant congressional commissions.  Center for Legislative Archives staff provide timely records services to the House and Senate to support the daily business of the U.S. Congress, provide world class reference service on the records of Congress to researchers and members of the public, and develop outreach programs and resources for scholars, educators, and the public that facilitate a greater understanding of Congress and American representative democracy.

Jay brings more than 10 years of leadership experience and work with congressional records to the position.  Prior to joining NARA, Jay served as the Executive Director of the Robert C. Byrd Center for Congressional History and Education in Shepherdstown, WV from 2018-2021, and before that, he served as the Byrd Center’s Director of Programs and Research from 2013-2018.  In these capacities, Jay led all strategic planning and programming initiatives at the Byrd Center, developing a robust public engagement framework that included signature events, digital and traveling exhibits, speaker series, and a statewide professional development program for K-12 educators.

Jay holds a Ph.D. and BA in American History from Temple University in Philadelphia.