Registration Opens: March 2nd.
War and Diplomacy in the Middle East
Ambassador Alina Romanowski
Former Ambassador of the U.S. to Iraq & Kuwait
Wednesday, March 17th, 2027
1:00- 2:00pm
SUNY Global Center
116 East 55th Street
New York City
Also available on Zoom
About the Topic
The Middle East continues to experience significant political, economic, and strategic transformation, with important implications for both regional and global security. Ongoing conflicts, shifting alliances, competition for regional influence and evolving relations among major powers have reshaped the region’s geopolitical landscape. Issues such as energy security, maritime trade routes, terrorism, cyber threats and nuclear proliferation remain central concerns of the international community. As a result, developments in the Middle East remain a key focus of international policymakers as the region’s stability has far-reaching consequences for global energy markets, economic prosperity, and the broader international security landscape.
About the Speaker
Ambassador (ret.) Alina L. Romanowski is a distinguished fellow with the Scowcroft Middle East Security Initiative at the Atlantic Council’s Middle East programs. Ambassador Romanowski is a national security expert with over forty years of U.S. government experience across diplomacy, defense, intelligence, and development. She most recently served as U.S. ambassador to Iraq (2022 to 2024) and Kuwait (2020 to 2022).
Ambassador Romanowski held senior roles at the State Department, including principal deputy coordinator for counterterrorism, coordinator for US assistance to Europe and Eurasia, and deputy assistant secretary in both the Bureau of Educational and Cultural Affairs and the Bureau of Near Eastern Affairs. She was the founding director of the Middle East Partnership Initiative.
At the US Agency for International Development, she served as deputy assistant administrator and acting assistant administrator for the Middle East Bureau. At the Department of Defense, she was deputy assistant secretary of defense for Near Eastern and South Asian Affairs and the founding director of the Near East South Asia Center at the National Defense University. She began her career as a Middle East and South Asia analyst at the Central Intelligence Agency.
Widely recognized for her exemplary public service, she is a recipient of a Presidential Distinguished Rank Award; two Presidential Meritorious Rank Awards; several Department of State Superior Rank Awards; two Secretary of Defense Meritorious Civilian Service Awards; and several CIA exceptional performance awards. Ambassador Romanowski holds a B.A. and M.A. from the University of Chicago.
Event Prices
Patron Member: No Fee
Young Patron Member: No Fee
Regular Member: No Fee
Non-Resident Member: No Fee
Guest of a Member: $35