Ellen Laipson

Ellen Laipson directs the International Security Program at George Mason University’s Schar School of Policy and Government. She led the Stimson Center from 2002 to 2015, and served in government for 25 years. Her last post was vice chair of the National Intelligence Council, from 1997 to 2002. She also served on the State Department’s policy planning staff, the National Security Council staff and the Congressional Research Service. She was a member of President Obama’s Intelligence Advisory Board from 2009 to 2013, and on the Secretary of State’s Foreign Affairs Policy Board 2011 to 2014. Laipson has an M.A. from the School of Advanced International Studies, Johns Hopkins University, and an B.A. from Cornell University.