Mara Rudman

James R. Schlesinger Distinguished Professor

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

A ground invasion in Lebanon is not in Israel’s interest: Former U.S. national security official

Mara Rudman, former senior national security official, says a ground invasion in Lebanon is not “in interest of no one in the region.”

Mara Rudman CNBC

Rudman: Possible, if Difficult, To Get to Ceasefire

Mara Rudman, University of Virginia Professor, discusses ceasefire negotiations and the escalation of conflict between Israel and Hezbollah.

Mara Rudman Bloomberg Podcasts

Election 2024: The threat of foreign interference

Given the well-documented attempts by Russia, China, and others to influence American elections through false information and “deepfakes,” what should voters expect as we approach the final weeks of the 2024 presidential election cycle? What can the U.S. do to combat the actions of foreign adversaries and ensure election integrity? A panel of experts discusses foreign interference in U.S. elections and the implications for the future of American democracy.

Danielle Citron, Mara Rudman Miller Center Presents

US 'sleepwalking' into WWIII, experts warn nation is underprepared: 'We do not have our Churchill'

Mara Rudman, commissioner and former deputy assistant to the president for National Security Affairs during the Clinton and Obama administrations, pointed to steps China has been taking over the last several decades that have given it an edge over the U.S., including in its technology sectors and relationship building in Latin America, Africa and recently, the Middle East.

Mara Rudman Fox News