Andrew Parasiliti

Dr Parasiliti "is Executive Director, IISS-US; Corresponding Director, IISS-Middle East; and a member of the IISS Directing Staff. He specialises in US foreign policy, including the role of Congress; US policy toward Iran, Iraq, and the Middle East; and the US economy. Dr Parasiliti also serves on the Board of Directors of both IISS-US and US Friends of the International Institute for Strategic Studies.

"Background: Prior to joining IISS in March 2009, Dr Parasiliti was a Principal, Government Affairs-International, at The BGR Group, a premier strategic consulting and government affairs firm, and an Executive Director of BGR Capital & Trade, a boutique investment bank handling business mergers and acquisitions. He had a major role in facilitating BGR’s interactions with US and international companies doing business in India, Iraq, the Middle East, and worldwide. Dr Parasiliti was instrumental in BGR’s successful advocacy campaign in support of US-India nuclear cooperation. He is an Emeritus member of the Board of Directors of the US-India Business Council and a former Director of the US-Serbia Business Council.

"From 2001-2005, Dr Parasiliti was Foreign Policy Advisor and Personal Representative of Member (“PRM”) to the Senate Foreign Relations Committee for US Senator Chuck Hagel (R-NE). From 1999-2001, he was Director of the Middle East Initiative at the John F Kennedy School of Government, Harvard University, where he was responsible for the intellectual development and management of Executive Programs for business and government leaders in Israel, the Palestinian Authority, Saudi Arabia, Kuwait, Iran, and India.  He also assisted Ambassador Robert D Blackwill with the management of Kennedy School Executive Programs for Russian and Chinese General Officers.  From 1996-1999, Dr Parasiliti was Director of Programs at the Middle East Institute (MEI) in Washington, DC, where his initiatives contributed to the renaissance of MEI as a leader among Washington think-tanks dealing with Iraq and Iran.

"Dr Parasiliti received a PhD from the Paul H. Nitze School of Advanced International Studies, Johns Hopkins University, where he wrote his dissertation on Iraq; a MA in Foreign Affairs from the University of Virginia; and a BA, cum laude, from the University of North Carolina at Greensboro, where he was a member of Psi Chi, the National Honor Society in Psychology.

"Originally from South Windsor, Connecticut, Dr Parasiliti lives in Arlington, Virginia, with his wife, Alexandra Avakian, a freelance photojournalist who works for National Geographic and other magazines, and their son, Sebastian. "