Kristin Lord

Kristin Lord is Vice President of Global Strategy & Engagement and Professor of Practice at Arizona State University. In this role, she works with ASU leadership, faculty, and staff to advance the ASU charter globally. Together, they lead efforts to expand educational and training opportunities; support impactful research that serves the public good; and leverage ASU's strengths to serve communities in Arizona, the United States, and around the world. The largest university in the United States, ASU is ranked #1 in both innovation and global impact. 

Before joining ASU in July 2025, Dr. Lord served for more than a decade as President and CEO of IREX, a global education and development nonprofit dedicated to fostering more just, prosperous, and inclusive societies. With work in more than 100 countries, during Lord’s tenure IREX substantially expanded its impact around the world; introduced more rigorous, data-driven methodologies; adopted more locally-led development approaches; developed strategies that led to positive, country-wide change in multiple geographies; raised the organization's visibility globally; and more than doubled its revenue. Prior to that role, Lord served as Acting President and Executive Vice President of the United States Institute of Peace (USIP), where she oversaw the launch of an online education initiative, expanded use of technology in peacebuilding, strengthened programs in Africa and South/Central Asia, and developed strategies to advance peacebuilding and U.S. national security.

From 2009 to 2013, Dr. Lord was Executive Vice President and Director of Studies at the Center for a New American Security (CNAS), where she oversaw the Center's research agenda and herself published on issues related to U.S. national security and foreign policy, cyber security, and public diplomacy. Under her leadership, CNAS published more than 110 reports and papers on a range of national security topics. Earlier, as a Fellow at the Brookings Institution, she directed initiatives on U.S. public diplomacy and international science and technology cooperation. As a Council on Foreign Relations International Affairs Fellow, she served as Special Advisor to the Under Secretary of State for Democracy and Global Affairs in 2005-2006, with a focus on science and technology, public diplomacy, and health.

From 1995 to 2008, Dr. Lord held multiple senior leadership positions at George Washington University's Elliott School of International Affairs, including Associate Dean for Strategy, Research, and External Relations; Associate Dean for Management and Planning; and Assistant Dean for Professional and International Education. She launched innovative master's and certificate programs, introduced a skills curriculum, built a global network of university partners, oversaw six research institutes and launched two new research centers, and raised funds from corporations, foundations, and government. As a member of the faculty, she taught undergraduate and graduate courses on U.S. foreign policy, public diplomacy, and the causes of war.

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 (co-edited with Bernard I. Finel, Palgrave Macmillan, 2000), and numerous book chapters, reports, policy papers, and articles. Her writing has appeared in the Chronicle of Philanthropy, Foreign Policy, Stanford Social Innovation Review, the Chicago Tribune, 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, and Reuters among other publications. She has appeared on NPR, BBC Radio, VOA, PBS, and MSNBC and provided expert commentary to The Washington Post, The Wall Street Journal, and other news outlets.

Dr. Lord served on the board of directors of the US Global Leadership Coalition, Radio Free Europe/Radio Liberty, and the Alliance for International Youth Development. She also served on the USAID Advisory Commission on Voluntary Foreign Aid, as a Science Diplomacy Fellow at the University of Southern California, and as a Trustee of the American University in Cairo. A lifetime member of the Council on Foreign Relations, she holds a BA in International Studies from American University and an MA and PhD in Government from Georgetown University. She was awarded an honorary doctorate by Juniata College for her work on international education.