Tait is a veteran communications strategist with more than fifteen years’ experience in the government, nonprofit and private sectors. He holds both a Master’s degree in Education and a Bachelor’s degree in English from the University of Michigan. Most recently, Sye was a political appointee for President Obama, serving in various roles including Acting Assistant Secretary for Public Affairs; Deputy Assistant Secretary for Public Affairs; and Senior Advisor in the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services. As Deputy Assistant Secretary, he led the public affairs strategy for the department’s wide-ranging public health portfolio, working on issues from the Ebola outbreak to anti-obesity efforts. He oversaw communications and public affairs for the Department’s public health agencies, including CDC, FDA, NIH, and the office of the Surgeon General. His international experience also includes collaboration with the Taiwan Ministry of Health. As Senior Advisor, he managed communications strategy for the Affordable Care Act, including opposing efforts to repeal it. Sye has also served as vice-president at Crosscut Strategies, a strategic communications consulting firm, working with high growth digital health and cybersecurity companies; and national media director for Planned Parenthood.
In the Myths and Legends podcast, Tait talks with Dr. Amy Kuʻuleialoha Stillman and Sungjee Dianne Ro about how the Asian Pacific Islander American (APIA) community has negotiated, defined, and redefined themselves throughout the years by challenging the perpetual foreigner stereotypes, asserting their presence and rights as Americans, and extending the community to encompass Pacific Islanders.