William Daley and Paul Ryan Named Chair and Vice Chair of the CSIS Board of Trustees

WASHINGTON, DC — November 11, 2026 — The Center for Strategic and International Studies (CSIS) today announced the appointment of William Daley, former White House chief of staff and U.S. secretary of commerce, as chair of its board of trustees. Paul Ryan, former speaker of the U.S. House of Representatives, has been appointed vice chair. Daley succeeds Tom Pritzker, who has chaired the board since 2015.

“For more than 60 years, CSIS has brought rigorous, independent, and nonpartisan scholarship to bear on the world’s most pressing challenges. Bill Daley and Paul Ryan bring decades of public service at the highest levels and a shared commitment to working across party lines. Their leadership will be invaluable to CSIS in the years ahead,” said General Joseph F. Dunford, CEO of CSIS. “I am also deeply grateful to Tom Pritzker for his decade-plus as board chair that helped to transform CSIS and for his continuing commitment to the Center.”

Daley served as White House chief of staff to President Barack Obama from 2011 to 2012 and as U.S. secretary of commerce under President Bill Clinton from 1997 to 2000. Ryan represented Wisconsin’s first congressional district from 1999 to 2019, served as speaker of the House from 2015 to 2019, and was the Republican nominee for vice president in 2012. He previously chaired the House Ways and Means and Budget Committees. Daley joined the CSIS Board of Trustees in 2015, and Ryan joined in 2020.

“I am honored to serve as CSIS’s chairman,” said Daley. “Having served on the board for more than a decade, I've seen firsthand what makes CSIS such an influential institution in Washington and around the world.”

“CSIS is at the center of the most important national security and economic security policy debates facing our country,” said Ryan. “I'm grateful for the opportunity to serve as vice chair and help advance CSIS’s mission.”

“It has been a privilege to serve as chairman of CSIS during a period of extraordinary institutional change and growth,” said Pritzker. “I've known Bill and Paul for many years and have great respect for their experience, judgment, and commitment to public service. I'm confident they will provide outstanding leadership for CSIS in the years ahead.”

Daley and Ryan were elected unanimously by the CSIS Board of Trustees, which is comprised of distinguished leaders who provide overall direction and leadership to CSIS. Visit here to learn more about the board and its members.

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