Caitlin Welsh

Director, Global Food and Water Security Program
Caitlin Welsh

Caitlin Welsh is the director of the Global Food and Water Security Program at the Center for Strategic and International Studies (CSIS), where she analyzes the drivers and consequences of food and water insecurity around the world, including for U.S. national security. Her specific areas of focus include the impacts of Russia’s war in Ukraine on global food security and nutrition, food insecurity in the U.S. military, and the coherence between U.S. global water security policy and U.S. global food security policy. Prior to joining CSIS, Ms. Welsh served for over 12 years in the U.S. government, including at the National Security Council and National Economic Council as director for global economic engagement with responsibility for the G7 and G20, and at the U.S. Department of State’s Office of Global Food Security, where she served as acting director. Ms. Welsh was a presidential management fellow at the U.S. African Development Foundation and a Peace Corps volunteer in Morocco. She has testified before Congress on global food security on multiple occasions, and her analysis has been featured in the New York Times, CNN, NPR, PBS, the Wall Street Journal, The Economist, Financial Times, Foreign Policy, BBC, Newsweek, and other outlets. Ms. Welsh received her BA from the University of Virginia and MPA from Columbia University’s School of International and Public Affairs and hails from Erie, Pennsylvania. 

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State of Play

Did Iran Attack U.S. Water Systems?

Nikita Shah, Caitlin Welsh, and Lauryn Williams join Will Todman to discuss why U.S. critical infrastructure is vulnerable, what can be done to respond, and if there is enough evidence to blame Iran.

Podcast Episode by Will Todman, Nikita Shah, Caitlin Welsh, and Lauryn Williams — August 17, 2026

Photo: iLab/CSIS

China’s Hunger Games

CSIS's Caitlin Welsh and Brian Hart analyze China's leveraging of food markets for geopolitical influence for Foreign Affairs.

Commentary by Caitlin Welsh and Brian Hart — August 11, 2026

Rethinking Water as a Frontline Security Risk

Water has emerged as a frontline security challenge. As scarcity, mismanagement, climate change, and conflict converge, water is being weaponized for geopolitical objectives worldwide. What can policymakers do to protect critical water infrastructure and mitigate risks?

Critical Questions by Franck Gbaguidi and Caitlin Welsh — August 5, 2026

Audio Briefs

What a Fragile U.S.-Iran Ceasefire Means for Energy and Beyond

An audio version of "⁠What a Fragile U.S.-Iran Ceasefire Means for Energy and Beyond⁠," a new commentary by CSIS’s Raad Alkadiri, Clayton Seigle, Jon B. Alterman, Mona Yacoubian, Joely Virzi, and Caitlin Welsh. This audio was generated with text-to-speech by Eleven Labs. 

Podcast Episode by CSIS Scholars — July 1, 2026

Audio Briefs
State of Play

Was the G7 Summit in France a Success?

Victor Cha, Kristi Govella, Phil Luck, and Caitlin Welsh join Will to assess how meaningful the outcomes of the G7 Summit were.

Podcast Episode by CSIS Scholars — June 17, 2026

Photo: iLab/CSIS

AI for Food Security Forum

The CSIS Global Food and Water Security Program will host a public event on the applications of AI for global food security.

Event — April 30, 2026

Audio Briefs

Can the United States Enable Post-Conflict Stability?

An audio version of “⁠Can the United States Enable Post-Conflict Stability?⁠,” a new commentary by CSIS’s Andrew Friedman, Enoh T. Ebong, Brad Brooks-Rubin, J. Stephen Morrison, Leonard Rubenstein, Will Todman, Juliana Rubio, Emma Curtis, Caitlin Welsh, Michaela Simoneau, and Sophia Hirshfield. This audio was generated with text-to-speech by Eleven Labs.

Podcast Episode by CSIS Scholars — April 10, 2026

Audio Briefs