American foreign policy strategist, nonprofit executive, and Middle East scholar specializing in democratic governance, international development, sanctions policy, and regional security dynamics.
Her executive and diplomatic career centers on leading the National Democratic Institute (NDI) as its fourth President. She previously served in senior positions within the U.S. Department of State, including Director of Foreign Assistance, lead official for Russia sanctions coordination, and Deputy Assistant Secretary of State for Near Eastern Affairs - where she directed U.S. policy on democracy, human rights, and political reform across the Middle East during the Arab Spring. Her research career spans nearly two decades at the Brookings Institution, where she served as Director of the Center for Middle East Policy, focusing on U.S. regional strategy, Arab-Israeli relations, and democratic transitions. In academia, she serves as an adjunct professor at Georgetown University.
She holds a Bachelor’s degree in International Relations from Oberlin College, as well as a Master’s degree and Ph.D. in Government from Georgetown University.