New Foreign Affairs Policy Board To Focus On Broad Strategy

By Alan Gray, NewsBlaze  

Next week, Monday, December 19th, Secretary Clinton hosts the first meeting of the newly created Foreign Affairs Policy Board.

The new Board, composed of 25 members, is to meet at the Department of State periodically to discuss issues of high priority for the Secretary of State and the Department of State.

The main focus for the Board is broad strategy. It is expected to provide the Secretary and senior Department officials with insights, perspectives, and ideas. Secretary Clinton will meet with the Board several times during her tenure.

The Foreign Affairs Policy Board members, selected by Secretary Clinton, are distinguished, diverse, and bipartisan, with "a wide range of expertise and background, including past government service, academia, politics, development, and business," according to a State Department release.

Strobe Talbott, president of the Brookings Institution Photo: Brookings Institution

The Chairman, Strobe Talbott, is President of the Brookings Institution, a highly influential, widely quoted think tank. A former Deputy Secretary of State, Talbott will work closely with the Secretary and her Policy Planning Director, Jake Sullivan, to coordinate the Board and its meetings.

Each Board member is to serve a two-year term.

Here are the current Foreign Affairs Policy Board members.

Liaquat Ahamed

Ann Fudge

Helene Gayle

Nina Hachigian

Stephen Hadley

Jane Harman

Carla Hills

Alberto Ibarguen

Robert Kagan

Rachel Kleinfeld

Jim Kolbe

Stephen Krasner

Ellen Laipson

Mack McLarty

Mike Mullen

Vali Nasr

John Negroponte

Jacqueline Novogratz

Tom Pickering

John Podesta

Anne-Marie Slaughter

James Steinberg

Strobe Talbott

Laura Tyson

Rich Verma