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Julianne Smith
Former US Ambassador to NATO
Julianne Smith
Former US Ambassador to NATO
Biography
Ambassador Julianne Smith is a distinguished national security expert with over two decades of experience in U.S. and European defense policy, transatlantic relations, and geostrategic risk. She has held senior leadership positions at the White House, the Department of Defense, and the Department of State where she has shaped NATO’s response to the Ukraine war, advanced U.S.-European economic and military partnerships, and addressed global security challenges stemming from China, North Korea, Iran, and Russia.
Most recently, Smith served as the U.S. Permanent Representative to NATO (2021–2024), where she played a pivotal role in securing Allied support for Ukraine, coordinating intelligence sharing with Allies, and finalizing Finland and Sweden’s accession to the Alliance. She also led efforts to integrate China into NATO’s Strategic Concept.
During the Obama administration, Smith served as Acting National Security Advisor and Deputy National Security Advisor to Vice President Joseph Biden. Prior to that role, she served as the Principal Director for European and NATO Policy in the Office of the Secretary of Defense. Her career spans influential roles at think tanks such as the German Marshall Fund, the Center for a New American Security, and the Center for Strategic and International Studies, where she published extensively on grand strategy, Russia, counter-terrorism, and China’s deepening relationships in Europe.
Smith has been honored with multiple awards, including the Order of the Polar Star of Sweden, the U.S. Department of Defense Distinguished Service Award, the Sue M. Cobb Award for Diplomatic Excellence, and the Cross of the Order of Merit of Germany. Fluent in French and German, she has conducted extensive research in Europe, including fellowships at the Robert Bosch Academy and the American Academy in Berlin.
Speech Topics
What’s Ahead: The United States, NATO & the World
What’s next for the United States and the Transatlantic Alliance? No one knows better than former U.S. Permanent Representative to NATO, Ambassador Julianne Smith. In this informative and timely keynote, Ambassador Smith reflects on her leadership journey as the U.S. permanent representative to the world's most important alliance and shares her perspective on the US-NATO future—a future where the Trump Administration has a very different perspective than previous administrations. Ambassador Smith reflects on the security challenges that are a top priority for NATO and offers insight into the alliance's response to new emerging threats, NATO's expansion, and the future of transatlantic relations. As one of the most influential voices in international diplomacy, Ambassador Smith will share insight into the lessons learned and future challenges for a forward moving world.
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