Tom Krattenmaker

Associate Vice President for Public Affairs and Communications

tkratt_lowres Tom Krattenmaker became Lewis & Clark's associate vice president for public affairs and communications in July 2006. In addition to his work in administration, he is an award-winning writer specializing in religion in public life.

Before coming to Lewis & Clark, Krattenmaker was director of news and information and public relations at Swarthmore College in Pennsylvania from 1995 to 2006 and senior writer in the communications office at Princeton University. Prior to entering the higher education sector, he was a reporter for the Associated Press and Orange County (Calif.) Register.

Outside of his career in higher education communications, Krattenmaker writes regularly for USA Today's "On Religion" commentary page and is a member of the newspaper's editorial Board of Contributors. The American Academy of Religion honored him in its 2009 Journalism Awards program with third place in the opinion-writing category. Krattenmaker's work has also appeared in Salon, the Los Angeles Times, the Oregonian, the Philadelphia Inquirer, and numerous other publications.

Krattenmaker's first book, "Onward Christian Athletes," about Christianity in professional sports, was published in October 2009. (Visit Tom's writing website, TomKrattenmaker.com.)

Krattenmaker's numerous media appearances include the documentary "Lord Save Us From Your Followers," ESPN's "Outside the Lines," the Christian Broadcasting Network, The Nation, Christianity Today, and radio networks/stations including Fox, the Canadian Broadcasting System, and numerous regional and local outlets.

In addition, Krattenmaker has spoken at college campuses including the University of Portland, Missouri State University, DePauw University, and Springfield, Swarthmore, and Haverford Colleges.

Krattenmaker has a master of liberal arts degree with a concentration in religion in public life from the University of Pennsylvania and a B.A. in journalism from the University of Minnesota.

Recent articles

Note: These writings express the author's personal views and do not represent any official position or policy of Lewis & Clark College.

"Confessions of a Conflicted Football Fan," November 7, 2009

"A (Cautionary) Lion's Tale," October 26, 2009

" 'And I'd Like to Thank God ... ' " USA Today, October 12, 2009

"Maybe We Can All Get Along?" USA Today, August 24, 2009

"Seeing Beyond the Hijab," The Oregonian, August 23, 2009

"Evangelism 2.0," USA Today, July 20, 2009

"God Talk & Graduations," USA Today, May 18, 2009

"Fightin' Words," USA Today, April 13, 2009

"Evangelicals walk a fine line in public schools," The Oregonian, March 7, 2009

"A case for 'civil religion,' " USA Today, February 23, 2009