The Graduate School of North American Studies is governed by an Executive Board in which professors of all six departments at the John F. Kennedy Institute are represented. The current director of the graduate school and chairperson of the Executive Board is Prof. Dr. Stefanie Müller (Literature Dept.). A representative of the graduate school's doctoral students (and postdoctoral fellows, if applicable) also take part in Executive Board meetings. The managing director and the equal opportunities advocate are also represented ex officio.