Strategist, speaker, advisor

 

Yaël is a thought leader and strategist at the intersection of political, social and security issues, having spent 17 years tackling complex global challenges as a CIA officer, a national security advisor to Vice President Biden, a diplomat in East Africa, a senior intelligence officer at the National Counterterrorism Center, a corporate social responsibility strategist for a Fortune 5 company, and the head of a global risk firm. Her focus now is on helping those outside of government contribute to solutions for many of the same kinds of challenges.

 

Yaël speaks, writes and consults on a variety of topics, particularly on what she calls whole-of-society approaches to tackling complex global challenges. With her high-level experience across sectors, from intelligence and policy to corporate and social impact, she provides strategic advice to help companies, foundations and non-profits assess the full range of (non-financial) risks so they can operate smartly and with purpose.

 

Yaël was named to Forbes' 2017 list of “40 Women to Watch Over 40”. She speaks globally at summits, universities, tech conferences, festivals and any number of venues seeking informed, inspirational women. She is also an Adjunct Professor at NYU's Center for Global Affairs, a member of the Council on Foreign Relations, and she provides context and analysis on national security, political and foreign affairs in the media. She has been published in the New York Times, TIME and The Huffington Post, has appeared on CNN, BBC World News, CBS News, PBS and C-SPAN, in policy forums, and on a number of podcasts. She earned an M.A. in International Affairs from the Johns Hopkins School of Advanced International Studies (SAIS).

 

More than anything, she is passionate about using her background and skills to help foster reasoned, civil discourse.

 

 

Photo: On stage at Tech Open Air Berlin, 2017