Kristin Lord is President and CEO of IREX, an independent nonprofit organization dedicated to building a more just, prosperous, and inclusive world by empowering youth, cultivating leaders, strengthening institutions, and extending access to quality education and information.
Prior to joining IREX in 2014, Dr. Lord served as Acting President and Executive Vice President of the United States Institute of Peace, a Congressionally created organization that prevents, mitigates, and resolves violent conflict worldwide. While at USIP, Lord oversaw the launch of an online education initiative, the creation of the PeaceTech Lab, the expansion of programs in Africa and South/Central Asia, and the development of a five-year strategic plan.
From 2009 to 2013, Lord was Executive Vice President and Director of Studies at the Center for a New American Security, where she oversaw the Center’s research and served as one of three members of the Center’s leadership team. She served as editor-in-chief of 110 CNAS publications during that period and authored significant studies on diplomacy and development, cybersecurity, US global engagement, and violent extremism. Prior to joining CNAS, Lord was a fellow at the Brookings Institution, where she directed the science and technology initiative of the Project on US Relations with the Islamic World and authored studies on human development in the Arab world and US public diplomacy.
From 1995 to 2008, Lord held leadership roles at the George Washington University’s Elliott School of International Affairs, including Associate Dean for Strategy, Research, and External Relations and Associate Dean for Management and Planning. During her tenure, she launched three master’s programs, ten certificate programs, a global network of university partnerships, the school’s skills curriculum, and numerous educational programs for students, diplomats, and mid-career professionals from the public, private, and nonprofit sectors. A member of the faculty, she taught courses on US public diplomacy, US foreign policy, and the causes of war. Dr. Lord received an International Affairs Fellowship from the Council on Foreign Relations, enabling her to serve as special advisor to the Under Secretary of State for Democracy and Global Affairs from 2005 to 2006.
Dr. Lord is the author of Perils and Promise of Global Transparency: Why the Information Revolution May Not Lead to Security Democracy or Peace (SUNY Press, 2006), Power and Conflict in an Age of Transparency, edited with Bernard I. Finel (Palgrave Macmillan, 2000), and numerous book chapters, policy papers, and articles. Her articles have appeared in Foreign Policy, The National Interest, International Studies Quarterly, Washington Quarterly, World Politics Review, CNN.com, Columbia Journal of International Affairs, USA Today, Defense News, Joint Force Quarterly, Roll Call, The Hill, Science, Foreign Service Journal, Christian Science Monitor, Politico, Reuters.com, and Huffington Post. She has appeared on NPR, BBC Radio, VOA, PBS, and MSNBC and provided expert commentary to the Washington Post, Wall Street Journal and other news outlets.
Dr. Lord is a member of the Board of Directors for the US Global Leadership Coalition and the American University in Cairo and a lifetime member of the Council on Foreign Relations. She served as co-chair of the Alliance for International Youth Development from 2015 to 2017. Dr. Lord received her MA and Ph.D. in government from Georgetown University and her BA in international studies from American University.
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