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

Inside Washington: A Decoding D.C. Crash Course

Inside Washington is a program for professionals seeking a deeper understanding of the policy process in Washington, D.C. Participants will examine the formal structures and informal networks that shape policy outcomes and learn how to apply these insights to their work.

Course Date: September 8, 2026
Registration Closes: August 31, 2026

Taiwan and the Pacific

Leading scholars and practitioners from the United States, Taiwan, and Australia offer analysis and recommendations regarding cross-strait challenges, as well as opportunities for the three partners to enhance Taiwan’s regional standing.

Report by Henrietta Levin, Charles Edel, Kathryn Paik, and Emma Y. Liu — August 27, 2026

Sixteenth Annual South China Sea Conference

This full-day conference will feature keynote addresses and in-depth panel discussions on recent developments in disputed waters and the importance of the 10-year anniversary of the landmark South China Sea arbitration.

Event — July 7, 2026

Audio Briefs

Reengaging the Solomon Islands: A Strategic Opportunity for the United States

An audio version of "⁠Reengaging the Solomon Islands: A Strategic Opportunity for the United States⁠," a new Commentary by CSIS’s John Augé and Kathryn Paik. This audio was generated with text-to-speech by Eleven Labs. 

Podcast Episode by John Augé and Kathryn Paik — June 5, 2026

Audio Briefs