Heather Conley, Joins CSIS as New Europe Program Director
June 18, 2009
The Center for Strategic & International Studies (CSIS) is pleased to announce that Heather Conley, former Deputy Assistant Secretary of State for European and Eurasian Affairs, has joined CSIS as director of its Europe Program.
“We are proud to have Heather Conley join the Center,” said Sam Nunn, CSIS Board of Trustees Chairman. “America’s relationship with Europe has seldom been more important. Heather will keep CSIS at the forefront of seeking solutions to address the challenging issues ranging from a global recession to the future of NATO to ensuring global security.”
Prior to joining CSIS, Ms. Conley served as Senior Advisor to the Center for European Policy Analysis, an independent, nonpartisan public policy research institute dedicated to the study of Central Europe. From 2005-2008, Ms. Conley served as the Executive Director, Office of the Chairman of the Board of the American National Red Cross, where she worked closely on the organization’s international humanitarian agenda with particular emphasis on the policies and programs of the American Red Cross and the International Committee of the Red Cross (ICRC). She also focused her efforts on developing the first comprehensive reform to the governance structure of the American Red Cross Board since 1947, incorporating “best governance practices” for non-profit and for-profit sectors.
From 2001-2005, Ms. Conley served as Deputy Assistant Secretary of State in the Bureau for European and Eurasian Affairs, with responsibilities for U.S. bilateral relations for the fifteen countries of Northern and Central Europe (Iceland, Denmark, Norway, Sweden, Finland, Estonia, Lithuania, Latvia, Poland, Hungary, the Czech Republic, Slovakia, Slovenia, Romania and Bulgaria). Ms. Conley co-led the U.S. government’s efforts to enlarge NATO and ensure Senate ratification of an amended NATO treaty in 2004. She also created a first ever senior level U.S. dialogue with the eight Nordic and Baltic states, the Enhanced Partnership in Northern Europe (e-PINE), to discuss regional and international security issues.
Prior to her experience in the State Department, she was with the international consulting firm led by former U.S. Deputy Secretary of State Richard L. Armitage as Senior Associate. Ms. Conley designed international business and corporate philanthropic strategies for firms with interests in Asia, the Middle East and Europe. Ms. Conley’s clients included major oil and gas firms and construction and engineering companies seeking opportunities in the Caspian Sea basin, Russia, the Balkans, Latin America and Asia.
Ms. Conley began her career in the Bureau of Political-Military Affairs at the U.S. Department of State where she served as the State Department liaison for the U.S. Department of Defense’s Global Humanitarian Assistance Program (HAP). Following the collapse of the Soviet Union, Ms. Conley was selected to serve as Special Assistant to the U.S. Coordinator of U.S. Assistance to the New Independent States of the Former Soviet Union where she coordinated all shipments of privately donated food and medicines to Russia and the eleven newly independent states and had responsibility for for all U.S. government technical and humanitarian assistance activities for the five Central Asian Republics.
Ms. Conley received her Bachelor of Arts in international studies from West Virginia Wesleyan College and her Masters of Arts in international relations from The Johns Hopkins University Paul H. Nitze School of Advanced International Studies.
“Heather brings tremendous experience in European affairs to the Center,” said CSIS President and CEO, John J. Hamre. “CSIS is committed to making a significant contribution to U.S. policy toward Europe, and Heather’s background and expertise are invaluable to this important endeavor.”
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The Center for Strategic and International Studies (CSIS) is a bipartisan, non-profit organization that seeks to advance global security and prosperity by providing strategic insights and practical policy solutions to decision-makers.
