Mara Karlin

Next Generation National Security Fellow, 2009-2010

Instructor, U.S. Department of Defense

  • Press: cstevens@cnas.org

Mara E. Karlin served in a variety of policy positions in the U.S. Defense Department, including Levant Director and Special Assistant to the Under Secretary of Defense for Policy. As Levant Director, she was intimately involved in formulating U.S. policy on Syria, Jordan, Lebanon, and Israel-Palestinian affairs. As Special Assistant to the Under Secretary of Defense for Policy, Mara helped coordinate the Under Secretary’s workload and facilitated his efforts on hundreds of national security-related actions. In connection with her work at the Pentagon, she received the Secretary of Defense Meritorious Civilian Service Award.

Mara is currently an Instructor and Ph.D candidate in Strategic Studies at Johns Hopkins University’s School of Advanced International Studies (SAIS). She also serves as an occasional consultant to the Office of the Secretary of Defense for Policy. She received her B.A. summa cum laude from Newcomb College, Tulane University, and her M.A. with distinction from Johns Hopkins SAIS in Middle East Studies, Strategic Studies, and International Economics.

Recent Publications & News

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