Kathryn Paik

Deputy Director and Senior Fellow, Australia Chair
Photo: CSIS

Kathryn Paik is a deputy director and senior fellow with the Australia Chair at the Center for Strategic and International Studies (CSIS). Prior to joining CSIS, Kathryn served in the United States Marine Corps for over 23 years, most recently as the director for Southeast Asia and the Pacific on the National Security Council (NSC) (2021–2023), where she spearheaded numerous initiatives for the administration, including the creation of the first U.S. Pacific Partnership Strategy and the initial U.S.-Pacific Islands Forum Summit. Prior to her time at the NSC, Kathryn held a variety of positions as a Northeast Asia and Southeast Asia foreign area officer, including serving as the marine attaché to Indonesia for three years and as a CH-46E combat helicopter pilot, during which she deployed to Iraq and throughout the Indo-Pacific. Kathryn has a master’s in national security affairs from the Naval Postgraduate School and a bachelor of science in systems engineering from the Naval Academy. She speaks Mandarin and Indonesian.

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Executive Education

Decoding D.C.: Policy, Power, and People

Decoding D.C.: Policy, Power, and People offers embassy, business, and nonprofit professionals the tools and knowledge necessary to better navigate the Washington policy ecosystem.

Course Date: March 24, 2025
Registration Closes: March 12, 2025
The Truth of the Matter

The Peril of American Neglect in the Pacific

Charles Edel, CSIS Senior Adviser and Australia Chair, and Kathryn Paik, Senior Fellow with the CSIS Australia Chair, join the podcast to discuss their new Foreign Affairs article on how China is dominating foreign policy in the Pacific.

Podcast Episode by H. Andrew Schwartz, Kathryn Paik, and Charles Edel — October 15, 2024

CSIS the truth of the matter

Australia, New Zealand, and the Pacific in a New U.S. Administration

In the highly contested Indo-Pacific, the U.S.-Australian alliance and Pacific Islands region have emerged as vital for U.S. national security. As U.S. leadership changes loom, it is crucial to sustain commitments to counter China and ensure U.S. influence in the region.

Commentary by Charles Edel and Kathryn Paik — September 26, 2024

Fourteenth Annual South China Sea Conference

The CSIS Southeast Asia Program and Asia Maritime Transparency Initiative are pleased to present the Fourteenth Annual South China Sea Conference, it will provide opportunities for in-depth discussion and analysis of developments in the South China Sea over the past year and potential paths forward.

Event — July 11, 2024