WASHINGTON, April 20, 2022: The Center for Strategic and International Studies (CSIS) is pleased to announce that Max Bergmann, formerly a senior fellow at the Center for American Progress, has joined CSIS as director of the Europe Program.
“Max joins the Center at a time when Russia’s invasion of Ukraine has set all eyes on Europe and Eurasia. This war is the challenge of the hour; it has and will continue to have regional and global impacts. During this critical moment, we welcome Max to CSIS, where his leadership and expertise will steer the important, timely work of our Europe Program,” said John J. Hamre, president and CEO of CSIS.
Bergmann has spent the last five years at the Center for American Progress, where he has focused on Europe, Russia, and U.S. security cooperation. Prior to this, from 2011 to 2017, he served in the U.S. Department of State in a number of different positions, including as a member of the secretary of state’s policy planning staff, where he focused on political-military affairs and nonproliferation; special assistant to the undersecretary for arms control and international security; speechwriter to then secretary of state John Kerry; and senior adviser to the assistant secretary of state for political-military affairs. Before serving in the State Department, Bergmann worked at the Center for American Progress as a military and nonproliferation policy analyst and at the National Security Network as the deputy policy director.
“It is a tremendous honor to be joining CSIS at such a pivotal time,” said Bergmann. “The transatlantic alliance has shown its resolve, but much will need to be done in the coming months and years to strengthen European security and address the challenge posed by Russia. The CSIS Europe Program will be at the forefront of this conversation, injecting fresh thinking and developing new approaches.”
Bergmann holds a master’s degree in comparative politics from the London School of Economics and a bachelor’s degree in political science from Bates College.
