American Academy of Diplomacy

Updated on Jan 24, 2024

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Headquarters Washington, D.C., United States Similar American Foreign Service A, Partnership for a Secure A, Foreign Policy Association, Committee on the Present D, The Stimson Center

The American Academy of Diplomacy is a private, non-profit, non-partisan, elected organization whose active membership is limited to men and women who have held positions of high responsibility in crafting and implementing American foreign policy. They have served the United States as chiefs of mission in major embassies abroad, and/or equivalent high-level foreign policy positions in Washington.

Founded in 1983, the Academy focuses the expertise of its members on the pursuit of excellence in the practice of American diplomacy.

In its early years, the Academy provided the U.S. Senate Foreign Relations Committee with commentary on the qualifications of those nominated by the President as ambassadors, but today it only does so in exceptional circumstances, such as if the Board of Directors feels strongly about a nominee's lack of qualifications to be ambassador.

The academy is financially supported by its members, and by grants from foundations and corporate contributors.

Leadership

Thomas R. Pickering, Chairman
Marc Grossman, Vice-Chairman
Ronald E. Neumann, President
Nicholas A. Veliotes, Treasurer
Molly Williamson, Secretary

Board of Directors

Robert Beecroft, Thomas D. Boyatt, Kenneth Brill, Kate Canavan, Lorne Craner, Ruth A. Davis, Paula Dobriansky, Shaun Donnelly, Charles Ford, Nancy Ely-Raphel, Alonzo Fulgham, Jim Gadsden, Robert Gallucci, William Harrop, Robert Kimmitt, Langhorne A. Motley, Tibor P. Nagy, Steve Pifer, Nancy Powell, Arlene Render, Charles Ries, Peter F. Romero, Edward M. Rowell, Janet Sanderson, Patrick Theros, Frank Wisner, John Wolf.

Program Director

Isabel de Prado

Former Chairmen

Joseph J. Sisco, Max M. Kampelman, Lawrence S. Eagleburger, Frank C. Carlucci, Sol M. Linowitz, Elliot Richardson

Former Presidents

Bruce Laingen, Brandon Grove, David H. Popper, David D. Newsom

Awards

The Walter and Leonore Annenberg Award for Excellence in Diplomacy

The Academy hosts an annual awards luncheon at the Department of State to recognize an individual or group who has made exemplary contributions to the field of American diplomacy.

The Arthur Ross Award for Distinguished Reporting and Analysis of Foreign Affairs

Since 2004, the Academy has presented the Arthur Ross Award to journalists who have produced the most compelling and insightful pieces concerning American diplomatic efforts.

The Douglas Dillon Award for Distinguished Writing on American Diplomacy

Since 1995, the Academy has awarded an annual prize for a book of distinction on the practice of American diplomacy. This award honors those who broaden public understanding of the need for excellence in American diplomacy.

Present

Texas Tech Ambassadors Forum

Omaha Ambassadors Forum

Arthur Ross Discussions of American Diplomacy

Hushang Ansary Forums: Global Strategies for a Global America

Joseph J. Sisco Memorial Forum

Past

Diplomacy and Democracy

Diplomatic Professional Education and Training Project

Integrating Instruments of Power and Influence

Publications

Support for American Jobs: Requirements for Next-Generation Commercial Diplomacy Programs (2016)

American Diplomacy at Risk (2015)

Diplomacy in a Time of Scarcity (2012)

First Line of Defense: Ambassadors, Embassies, and American Interests Abroad

Coalitions: Building and Maintenance

Commercial Diplomacy and the National Interest

Preventing Genocide

Past

The Philip Merrill Scholarship

The Academy, in collaboration with Johns Hopkins University's Paul H. Nitze School of Advanced International Studies (SAIS), awarded the Philip Merrill Fellowship for a winning essay on the practice of American diplomacy. The fellowship provided one half of SAIS tuition for each of two years of study. The last year for this award was 2013.

The Leonard Marks Foundation Award for Creative Writing on American Foreign Policy

Participants in this contest submitted essays on specific challenges to American diplomacy, and proposed policy recommendations to address them. The Academy selected three winners at differing award levels. The last year for this award was 2009.