Experts

Mara Rudman

Professor of Practice
Rudman resume.pdf

Fast Facts

  • Served in both the Obama and Clinton administrations, including as deputy assistant to the president for national security affairs
  • Director, Ripples of Hope Project
  • Former deputy envoy and chief of staff for the Office of the Special Envoy for Middle East Peace, U.S. Department of State
  • Expertise in foreign affairs, diplomacy, national security, the Middle East

Areas Of Expertise

  • Foreign Affairs
  • American Defense and Security
  • War and Terrorism
  • Middle East
  • Governance
  • The Presidency

Mara Rudman is a professor of practice at the Miller Center, where she directs the Ripples of Hope Project aimed at identifying practical approaches to help democratic leaders resolve key challenges. She previously served a term as a Miller Center Schlesinger Distinguished Professor.

Rudman served on the 2022 National Defense Strategy Commission. She is a member of the Board of Visitors for the Howard University College of Arts and Sciences. She also consults for Democracy Forward. 

Rudman’s government positions have included serving as deputy assistant to the president for national security affairs in the Obama and Clinton administrations; deputy envoy for the Office of the Special Envoy for Middle East Peace at the U.S. Department of State; assistant administrator for the Middle East at the U.S. Agency for International Development; and chief counsel to the House Foreign Affairs Committee.  

Previously, Rudman was executive vice president for policy at the Center for American Progress and senior vice president for policy/projects at Business Executives for National Security. She also led Quorum Strategies, a geopolitical strategic advisory firm. Rudman has been a guest on numerous TV and radio shows and has written for and been quoted in various print publications. She received her BA from Dartmouth College and a law degree from Harvard Law School.

Mara Rudman News Feed

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Finalization of phase one of Gaza peace plan
Rudman discusses the next steps on the Trump 20 point plan, on eve of implementation of first phase, release of all Israeli hostages and return of Palestinian prisoners and detainees.
Mara Rudman BBC News
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Oct 7 Anniversary and Trump Gaza Plan
Mara Rudman speaks on the ongoing discussions between Israel and Hamas and the new pressure for a deal as both sides mark two years since the October 7th attack.
Mara Rudman Bloomberg Balance of Power
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How Netanyahu's Doha Debacle Helped Unite the World Behind Trump's Gaza Plan
U.S. President Donald Trump's 'day after' plan for Gaza, if effectively executed, could offer stability and security to the Middle East. But the deal's ability to survive rests on whether Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu and Hamas move on what previously were hardline demands.
Mara Rudman Haaretz
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Ways forward from Israeli PM UN speech
Mara Rudman discusses how measures like the Abraham Accords could incentivize an economic and security framework that would serve Israel and other regional actors' interests, and those of the U.S. and Europe.
Mara Rudman CNN
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Toward a more responsible and effective presidency
UVA’s nonpartisan Miller Center of Public Affairs convenes presidential experts—dozens of leading Democrats and Republicans, scholars from across the country, and top journalists—for the second biennial Conference on the American Presidency, a series of constructive conversations about the modern presidency.
Guian McKee, Rachel Potter, Andrew Rudalevige, William Antholis, Alexander Bick, Everett Eissenstat, Mara Rudman, Sarah Wilson, Sidney Milkis, Louisa Terrell, Ashley Deeks, Eric Edelman, Saikrishna Prakash, Russell Riley, Allan Stam, and Philip Zelikow Miller Center Presents
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How to write a US National Security Strategy
What should the Trump administration prioritize in its upcoming strategy? How can the United States best adapt to new and emerging threats?
Mara Rudman Atlantic Council