Board of Directors

Farah Pandith
Former US Special Representative to Muslim Communities

Farah Pandith is a diplomatic entrepreneur, foreign policy strategist and author. She is a world-leading expert and pioneer on how to halt extremist recruitment of Muslim youth. Her forthcoming book is How We Win: How Cutting-Edge Entrepreneurs, Political Visionaries, Enlightened Business Leaders, and Social Media Mavens Can Defeat the Extremist Threat.

She served as a political appointee in the George H.W. Bush, George W. Bush, and Barack H. Obama administrations at the National Security Council, US Agency for International Development and US Department of State. Since leaving government in 2014, Ms. Pandith has been advising governments and building innovative global programs and organizations dedicated to mobilizing youth against extremist ideologies. She is a frequent media commentator and public speaker.

Ms. Pandith is an adjunct senior fellow at the Council on Foreign Relations and a senior fellow at Harvard University’s Kennedy School of Government. She served on the Homeland Security Advisory Council from 2015-2017, co-chairing the CVE Task Force. She was a Senior Advisor and Commissioner for the Center for Strategic International Studies 2016 CVE Commission Report, Turning Point. Together with the London-based Institute for Strategic Dialogue, she is re-imaging the power of communities, private sector and government to stop recruitment.

She is the recipient of many awards including the Secretary of State’s Distinguished Honor Award, the European Academy of Science and Art’s Ring of Tolerance, the Smith College Medal, and the Tufts University Distinguished Achievement Award. She was awarded an honorary doctorate from Mount Saint Mary’s University. She serves in leadership positions on several boards with a focus on international affairs, women’s empowerment, education and cultural diplomacy. She is a key architect of the Women in Public Service Project.

Ms. Pandith received a master’s degree from The Fletcher School of Law and Diplomacy at Tufts University and an A.B. from Smith College, where she was president of the student body. She is a member of the Board of Advisors of The Fletcher School of Law and Diplomacy.

Ms. Pandith was born in India and raised in the Commonwealth of Massachusetts. To learn more please visit farahpandith.com and @Farah_Pandith.