Ammon News - The Middle East Institute (MEI) is proud to announce the establishment of two new expert cohorts: the Distinguished Military Fellows and the Distinguished Diplomatic Fellows. These new designations bring to MEI a remarkable group of former senior officials who have shaped US defense and foreign policy at the highest levels.

The rosters include retired US military leaders and former US diplomats, whose experience spans some of the most consequential commands and diplomatic missions in the Middle East and around the world. Their tenures include command roles in US Central Command and Special Operations Command, ambassadorial appointments across the region, and pivotal roles at the State Department and the National Security Council. They join MEI’s Board Chairman, General John P. Abizaid, USA (ret.)—a former Commander of US Central Command and US Ambassador to Saudi Arabia—in exemplifying the Institute’s unmatched bench of senior leadership on Middle East defense and diplomacy.

The Distinguished Military Fellows include:

General Anthony C. Zinni, USMC (ret.)
6th Commander, US Central Command; Chairman Emeritus, Board of Governors, MEI

General Joseph L. Votel, USA (ret.)
13th Commander, US Central Command; 10th Commander, US Special Operations Command; Member, Board of Governors, MEI

General Kenneth F. McKenzie, Jr., USMC (ret.)
14th Commander, US Central Command

Lieutenant General Sam Mundy, USMC (ret.)
Former Commander, Marine Corps Forces Central Command

Lieutenant General Michael K. Nagata, USA (ret.)
Former Commander, US Special Operations Command–Central

Vice Admiral Kevin Donegan, USN (ret.)
Former Commander, US Fifth Fleet and Combined Maritime Forces

Major General Scott Benedict, USMC (ret.)
Former Commanding General, 2nd Marine Aircraft Wing

Colonel Liam Collins, USA (ret.)
Former Director, Modern War Institute at West Point

The Honorable Michael “Mick” Mulroy
Former Deputy Assistant Secretary of Defense for the Middle East

The Distinguished Diplomatic Fellows include:

Ambassador Ryan C. Crocker
Former US Ambassador to Afghanistan, Iraq, Pakistan, Syria, Kuwait, and Lebanon

Ambassador W. Robert Pearson
Former US Ambassador to Turkey and Director General of the US Foreign Service

Ambassador Robert S. Ford
Former US Ambassador to Syria and Algeria

Ambassador Barbara K. Bodine
Former US Ambassador to Yemen

Ambassador Gordon Gray
Former US Ambassador to Tunisia

Ambassador Barbara A. Leaf
Former Assistant Secretary of State for Near Eastern Affairs

The Honorable Mara Rudman
Former Deputy Assistant to the President for National Security Affairs

The Honorable Jonathan M. Winer
Former US Special Envoy for Libya

The Honorable Alan Eyre
Former Member, US Nuclear Negotiating Team on Iran

“This is an extraordinary group of professionals,” said Kenneth M. Pollack, Ph.D., Vice President of MEI’s Policy Center. “Together, they represent decades of hands-on experience in the Middle East, from leading combat operations and special forces to shaping US diplomacy and crisis management. We’re thrilled to welcome them to MEI and look forward to working with them closely as speakers, authors, and strategic advisors across all of MEI’s programs.”

“These fellows are an invaluable addition to MEI’s institutional capacity,” said Institute President Stu Jones. “As we continue to expand our role as the premier center for scholarship, dialogue, and policy innovation on the Middle East, the expertise and credibility of these leaders help position MEI at the forefront of the policy conversation in Washington and beyond. We look forward to featuring them in a wide range of research, public programming, private briefings, and policy engagement in the months ahead.”

Founded in 1946, the Middle East Institute (MEI) is America’s leading nonpartisan policy and cultural institute focused on the Middle East. Based in Washington, DC, and working at the intersection of policy, education, and culture, MEI is the leading convener of Middle East experts and officials, fostering dialogue between diverse stakeholders. Its experts provide cutting-edge analysis of a complex region, while its Arts and Culture Center promotes understanding and cultural diplomacy through the universal language of the arts. MEI’s Policy Center boasts a roster of leading regional experts, including former diplomats and US defense and security officials who provide decision makers with trusted analysis of the region’s challenges and identify opportunities to advance US national interests.