Experts

Mara Rudman

James R. Schlesinger Distinguished Professor
Rudman resume.pdf

Fast Facts

  • Served in both the Obama and Clinton administrations, including as deputy assistant to the president for national security affairs
  • Director, Ripples of Hope Project
  • Former deputy envoy and chief of staff for the Office of the Special Envoy for Middle East Peace, U.S. Department of State
  • Expertise in foreign affairs, diplomacy, national security, the Middle East

Areas Of Expertise

  • Foreign Affairs
  • American Defense and Security
  • War and Terrorism
  • Middle East
  • Governance
  • The Presidency

Mara Rudman is the James R. Schlesinger Distinguished Professor at the Miller Center, where she directs the Ripples of Hope Project aimed at identifying practical approaches to help democratic leaders resolve key challenges. 

She serves on the 2022 National Defense Strategy Commission and the Howard University College of Arts and Sciences board of visitors. Rudman also consults for Democracy Forward. 

Rudman’s government positions have included serving as deputy assistant to the president for national security affairs in the Obama and Clinton administrations; deputy envoy for the Office of the Special Envoy for Middle East Peace at the U.S. Department of State; assistant administrator for the Middle East at the U.S. Agency for International Development; and chief counsel to the House Foreign Affairs Committee.  

Previously, Rudman was executive vice president for policy at the Center for American Progress and senior vice president for policy/projects at Business Executives for National Security. She also led Quorum Strategies, a geopolitical strategic advisory firm. Rudman has been a guest on numerous TV and radio shows and has written for and been quoted in various print publications. She received her BA from Dartmouth College and a law degree from Harvard Law School.

Mara Rudman News Feed

Asharq Al-Awsat headline
UNRWA's Mission is Critical to Regional Security
United States, regional, Israeli and Palestinian security requires that American and other international support for UNRWA should resume, conditional on (1) outside audit on how the organization came to function in such as a way as to tolerate Hamas operatives embedded among its staff, and (2) an assessment on whether and how its mandate might be executed more effectively, including by other entities.
Mara Rudman Asharq Al-Awsat
The Jerasalem Post headline
US House Foreign Affairs Committee displays partisan divide over UNRWA funding
The Democrat's witness, University of Virginia professor Mara Rudman, is a former deputy envoy and chief of staff for the Office of the Special Envoy for Middle East Peace at the State Department, and called for the continuation of UNRWA funding as the UN's investigation continues. Rudman said this is imperative for US and Israeli security.
Mara Rudman The Jerusalem Post
Newsweek headline
How Netanyahu's Growing Defiance Is a Problem for Biden
"[Netanyahu] is doing everything he can to appease his right-wing coalition because he wants to stay in power," said Mara Rudman, who served as a senior Middle East diplomat in the Obama administration.
Mara Rudman Newsweek
NBC headline
'UNRWA is a failure': U.N. agency under microscope at House hearing
Mara Rudman, Schlesinger professor at the University of Virginia Miller Center, testified during the House hearing that although UNRWA is not without problems, there is no other organization that could serve as a substitute for it at this time.
Mara Rudman NBC News
New York post headline
House panel witnesses urge Biden to eliminate UNRWA funding
“US aid to UNRWA is key to meeting basic needs of Palestinians, particularly in Gaza, and that’s critical to Israel security and to US security,” said Rudman.
Mara Rudman New York Post
Photo of Mara Rudman
UNRWA Exposed: Examining the Agency’s Mission and Failures
Mara Rudman testifies as a witness before the House Foreign Affairs Committee.
Mara Rudman House Foreign Affairs Committee GOP