Experts
Council resident and nonresident fellows offer research, analysis, and commentary on US foreign policy and public opinion.
Leslie Vinjamuri
President & Chief Executive Officer, Chicago Council on Global Affairs
Dr. Leslie Vinjamuri joined the Council in 2025 as the president and chief executive officer, after previously serving as director of the US and the Americas program at the Royal Institute of International Affairs, known as Chatham House, in London. She brings nearly 30 years of experience working at the intersection of international affairs, research, policy, and public engagement.
Julián Ventura
Nonresident Distinguished Fellow, Latin America and the Global Economy
Julián Ventura is a senior advisor at DGA-Albright Stonebridge Group. With over 30 years of diplomatic experience across four Mexican administrations, he most recently served as deputy secretary of foreign relations, overseeing relationships in Asia, Europe, Africa, and the Middle East while leading Mexico's G-20 negotiations.
Dina Smeltz
Vice President, Public Opinion and Foreign Policy
Dina Smeltz, a polling expert, has more than 25 years of experience designing and fielding international social and political surveys. Prior to joining the Council to lead its annual survey of American attitudes on US foreign policy, she served in the Bureau of Intelligence and Research at the US State Department's Office of Research from 1992 to 2008.
