General Joe Dunford serves as the CEO of the Center for Strategic and International Studies. He previously served as the 19th chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff, the nation’s highest-ranking military officer. In this role, he was the principal military adviser to the president, secretary of defense, and National Security Council from 2015 to 2019.
While on active duty, he served as an infantry officer at all levels, to include commanding the 5th Marine Regiment during Operation Iraqi Freedom. He served as the 36th commandant of the Marine Corps, the assistant commandant of the Marine Corps, and commander of all U.S. and NATO forces in Afghanistan.
He is a graduate of Boston College High School and Saint Michael’s College. He also earned master’s degrees in government from Georgetown University and in international relations from the Fletcher School of Law and Diplomacy.
He currently serves as chairman of the board for the Semper Fi & America’s Fund, which supports wounded, ill, and injured active-duty personnel and veterans from all services. He is a partner at Liberty Strategic Capital and serves as the chairman of the board for the Adams Presidential Center. He is a member of the board of directors for Bessemer Trust and the Travis Manion Foundation.