The legislation that created the Smithsonian Institution (approved by Congress Aug. 10, 1846) called for the creation of a Board of Regents to govern and administer the organization. This 17-member board, which meets four times a year, includes the chief justice of the United States and the vice president of the United States, both ex officio members of the Board. The chief justice has traditionally been elected chancellor of the Institution by the Board.

Other members of the Board of Regents are three members of the House of Representatives, appointed by the speaker of the House; three members of the Senate, appointed by the president pro tempore of the Senate; and nine citizen members, nominated by the Board and approved by the Congress in a joint resolution signed by the president of the United States. Regents who are representatives and senators serve for the durations of their elected terms. Citizen Regents serve a maximum of two six-year terms.

The chief executive officer of the Smithsonian is the Secretary, who is appointed by the Board of Regents. There have been 12 secretaries since the Smithsonian was established. The Secretary serves as secretary to the Board of Regents but is not a voting member of that body.

Current Members of the Board of Regents

Ex Officio

• John G. Roberts Jr., chief justice of the United States and chancellor of the Smithsonian
  
  
• Richard B. Cheney, vice president of the United States

Members appointed by the President pro tempore of the Senate

• Sen. Thad Cochran (R-Miss.)
  
  
• Sen. Christopher Dodd (D-Conn.)
  
  
• Sen. Patrick Leahy (D-Vt.)

Members appointed by the Speaker of the House

• Rep. Sam Johnson (R-Texas)
  
  
• Rep. Xavier Becerra (D-Calif.)
  
  
• Rep. Doris Matsui (D-Calif.)

Members appointed by Joint Resolution of Congress (Citizen Regents)

• Eli Broad (California), chairman of The Broad Foundation
  
  
• Phillip Frost (Florida), chairman of the board, Ladenburg Financial Services
  
  
• Shirley Ann Jackson (New York), president of Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute in Troy, N.Y.
  
  
• Robert P. Kogod (Washington, D.C.), former co-chairman and co-CEO of the Charles E. Smith Companies based in Arlington, Va.
  
  
• John W. McCarter Jr. (Illinois), president and chief executive officer of the Field Museum in Chicago
  
  
• Roger W. Sant (Washington, D.C.), chair of the Board of Regents; chairman emeritus of the board and co-founder of AES Corp.; and chairman of the board of The Summit Foundation in Washington, D.C.
  
  
• Alan G. Spoon (Massachusetts), managing general partner of Polaris Venture Partners, former president of The Washington Post Company
  
  
• Patty Stonesifer (Washington state), vice chair of the Board of Regents, and senior advisor to The Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation
  
  
• Vacant

Members of the Executive Committee

• Roger W. Sant, chair
  
  
• Patty Stonesifer, vice chair
  
  
• Alan G. Spoon