Ambassador Stuart Holliday is President and CEO of Meridian International Center, a leading non-partisan institution that seeks to advance global security and prosperity through effective leadership and diplomacy.
Meridian works closely with the U.S. Department of State and other U.S. government agencies, NGOs, international governments, and the private sector. It creates global leadership exchange and education programs, partnerships, and initiatives that strengthen international cooperation on key issues such as security, energy and the environment, economic development, entrepreneurship, global health and culture. Meridian, founded in 1960, has a $35 million budget, 110 employees, and is located on a three-acre historic campus in the heart of Washington, DC.
Ambassador Stuart Holliday served as United States Ambassador for Special Political Affairs at the United Nations (2003-2005), after his nomination by the President and confirmation by the Senate. Holliday’s primary duties involved representing the United States on issues in the U.N. Security Council. This included responsibility for U.S. policy on U.N. Peacekeeping, Sanctions, and Counterterrorism programs.
Prior to serving at the United Nations, Holliday was Coordinator (Assistant Secretary) of the U.S. State Department’s Bureau of International Information Programs and Principal Deputy Assistant Secretary for Public Affairs.
From 2000 to 2001, he was Special Assistant to the President and Associate Director of Presidential Personnel at the White House. At the White House, he advised the President on appointments to the State Department, the Defense Department, the Veterans Department, FEMA, NASA, OPIC, Peace Corps, USAID and Ambassadorships.
Following the attacks of September 11, Holliday was tasked by the President’s Chief of Staff to work with government agencies to staff the first Office of Homeland Security at the White House. From 1998 to 2000, he served as Assistant (deputy) Policy Director to then Governor of Texas. In this capacity he had specific responsibility for economic development, international trade, technology and military issues.
He has also served as the Director of the International Practice at QGA, a leading public affairs firm, Executive Director of the Dallas Council on World Affairs and Regional Director for North Africa, the Middle East and Turkey at the International Republican Institute (IRI) where he worked on political reform and elections.
Holliday served on active and reserve duty as an Officer in the United States Navy (Intelligence) from 1988 until 1995 and was recalled to active duty for Operation Desert Storm. He is a recipient of the Joint Service Commendation Medal and other awards.
He obtained his B.S.F.S. (International Affairs) from Georgetown University and his M.A. (International Affairs) from the London School of Economics and Political Science.
Holliday is a life member of the Council on Foreign Relations, a co-founder of No Labels, promoting bipartisan solutions to American Challenges, and is now serving on the No Labels Advisory Board. He also serves as a Trustee of the Center for the Study of Presidency and Congress, has served as a member and chapter chair of the Young Presidents Organization (YPO), on the Boards of the Council of American Ambassadors, The International Foundation for Election Systems, and the private sector.
Holliday is a frequent speaker on foreign affairs and international institutions. He serves as a regular co-host of No Labels Radio on Sirius XM Satellite Radio with Governor Jon Huntsman. He regularly appears on television programs such as MSNBC, Fox News and Fox Business, CNN, BBC, and Bloomberg News, as well as a variety of international media networks. He is a frequent speaker on national security, foreign policy, and presidential politics.
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