Experts

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.

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.

Kathleen Hicks served as the 35th US Deputy Secretary of Defense. Previously, she served as senior vice president and director of the international security program at the Center for Strategic and International Studies and the Donald Marron Scholar at the Kissinger Center for Global Affairs at Johns Hopkins University’s School of Advanced International Studies.