American Academy of Diplomacy

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, and essential tool in the promotion of U.S. values, security and prosperity.

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
A. Elizabeth Jones, Vice-Chairman
Amb. Ronald E. Neumann, President
Nicholas A. Veliotes, Treasurer
Roscoe S. Suddarth, Secretary

Board of Directors

Barbara Bodine, Avis Bohlen, Timothy M. Carney, Wendy Chamberlin, Harriet Elam-Thomas, Charles W. Freeman Jr., Edward Gnehm, David Greenlee, Marc Grossman, James R. Jones, Princeton N. Lyman, Patricia Lynch Ewell, John McLaughlin, W. Robert Pearson, Edward M. Rowell, J. Stapleton Roy, Teresita Schaffer, George Staples, Johnny Young

Program Director

Elizabeth Burrell (2009–present)

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

Scholarships

• The Philip Merrill Scholarship

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

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

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

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.

External links

• Academy of Diplomacy