Marti Flacks

Marti Flacks is the Khosravi Chair in Principled Internationalism and director of the Human Rights Initiative at the Center for Strategic and International Studies (CSIS). The initiative seeks to bring innovative thinking and a multidisciplinary approach to tackle pressing global human rights challenges and better integrate human rights across foreign policy priorities. Ms. Flacks spent more than a decade in the U.S. government, most recently serving at the National Security Council (NSC) as director of African affairs from 2015 to 17, where she coordinated U.S. policy across East and Southern Africa and on continent-wide trade and economic issues. Prior to the NSC, Ms. Flacks spent three years as deputy director of the Office of Energy Programs at the U.S. State Department, leading the department’s work on energy transparency and good governance, and four years working for the U.S. special envoy for Sudan on implementation of the Comprehensive Peace Agreement and the independence of South Sudan. She joined the U.S. government through the Presidential Management Fellows program at the Department of Homeland Security. Prior to joining CSIS, Ms. Flacks served as deputy director & head of the North America office at the Business & Human Rights Resource Centre, a human rights organization focused on the role of business in respecting human rights. Ms. Flacks received a BS in foreign service from Georgetown University, a master's degree from the Fletcher School at Tufts University, and a JD from Columbia Law School. She is originally from Solon, Ohio.
Areas of Expertise
Media Queries
- H. Andrew Schwartz
- Chief Communications Officer
- 202.775.3242
- aschwartz@csis.org
- Paige Montfort
- Assistant Director of Communications, External Relations
- 202.775.3173
- pmontfort@csis.org
In the News
Biden faces litany of challenges heading to United Nations
Marti Flacks in The Hill — September 19, 2023
Biden to address U.N. General Assembly next week at pivotal time on world stage
Marti Flacks in Spectrum News NY1 — September 15, 2023
Putin War Crimes Warrant Puts Spotlight on South Africa
Marti Flacks in The Messenger — June 3, 2023
Foreign Executives Need To Do Human Rights Due Diligence In Mexico
Marti Flacks in Forbes — April 26, 2023
Biden’s democracy summit 2.0: Ukraine war spurs globalized format
Suzanne Spaulding and Marti Flacks in The Christian Science Monitor — March 29, 2023
Biden widens net in new democracy summit as Russia, China concerns grow
Marti Flacks in France 24 — March 27, 2023
White House Hosts International Women of Courage Awards
Marti Flacks in Voice of America — March 8, 2023
US Accuses Russia of 'Systemic' War Crimes
Marti Flacks in Voice of America — November 22, 2022
All Marti Flacks Content
Filter by
Decoding D.C.: Policy, Power, and People
Progress and Possibility: Reflecting on 75 Years of the Universal Declaration of Human Rights
Event — December 6, 2023
"75 Years of the Universal Declaration of Human Rights": Audio Brief with Marti Flacks
Podcast Episode by Marti Flacks — December 1, 2023

The Future of the Care Economy
Event — November 16, 2023
Rising to the Moment - Launching USAID's new Bureau for Democracy, Human Rights, and Governance
Event — October 19, 2023
Seafood Alliance for Legality and Traceability Forum- Taking Stock and Next Steps
Event — September 15, 2023
Press Briefing: Previewing the High-Level Week of UNGA 78
Event — September 14, 2023
Cyber Scamming as a New Destination for Human Trafficking Victims
Critical Questions by Lauren Burke Liam Hamama and Marti Flacks — August 17, 2023
What Does the ESG Backlash Mean for Human Rights?
Commentary by Marti Flacks and Hannah Norman — August 16, 2023
What’s Next for the Uyghur Forced Labor Prevention Act?
Critical Questions by Marti Flacks — June 21, 2023