Board of Directors
VADM John Miller
Information coming soon.
Dr. Susan E. Saxton
Chief Operating Officer, Middle East Institute
Dr. Susan E. Saxton is the Chief Operating Officer at the Middle East Institute, bringing more than 25 years of education and business experience with a focus on transformational leadership, entrepreneurial growth, and corporate strategy.
She has built, scaled, and restructured institutions across the United States, Europe, Africa, and the Middle East.
She served as Founding President of the American University of Bahrain, launching a first-of-its-kind American-style university in the GCC.
She held senior leadership roles at Laureate Education including Chief Strategy Officer and CEO positions.
She has served on numerous international boards and advisory organizations.
Education: Dual PhDs, LLM in International Business, MSBA in Finance, BA in Mathematics.
His Excellency Ronald E. Neumann
Former Ambassador to Bahrain, Algeria, and Afghanistan
Formerly a Deputy Assistant Secretary of State, Ronald E. Neumann served three times as Ambassador; to Algeria, Bahrain, and finally to Afghanistan from July 2005 to April 2007.
Before Afghanistan, Mr. Neumann, a career member of the Senior Foreign Service, served in Baghdad from February 2004 with the Coalition Provisional Authority and later as Embassy Baghdad’s liaison with the Multinational Command.
He was deeply involved in coordinating the political aspects of military actions in Iraq.
Prior to Iraq, he was Ambassador in Manama, Bahrain (2001–2004), Deputy Assistant Secretary in the Bureau of Near East Affairs (1997–2000), and Ambassador to Algeria (1994–1997).
Earlier assignments included Director of the Office of Northern Gulf Affairs, Deputy Chief of Mission in Abu Dhabi and Sanaa, Principal Officer in Tabriz, Iran, and Economic/Commercial Officer in Dakar, Senegal.
Ambassador Neumann is the author of Three Embassies, Four Wars: A Personal Memoir and The Other War: Winning and Losing in Afghanistan.
He serves on several advisory boards including SOLA, Spirit of America, the Middle East Policy Council, and Friends of the American University of Afghanistan.
Education & Honors: B.A. in History, M.A. in Political Science from the University of California at Riverside, graduate of the National War College, Bronze Star recipient, and winner of the 2018 AFSA Lifetime Contributions to American Diplomacy Award.
Mrs. Angelena Young
Information coming soon.
VADM (Ret) Mark Fox
Information coming soon.
RADM Harold Bernsen
Information coming soon.
Ms. Rose Sager
Information coming soon.
H.E Ambassador Abdulla Al Khalifa
The Ambassador of the Kingdom of Bahrain to the United States of America
On June 23, 2017, His Majesty King Hamad bin Isa Al Khalifa issued Royal Decree No. 34/2017 appointing Shaikh Abdulla bin Rashid bin Abdulla Al Khalifa as the Ambassador of the Kingdom of Bahrain to the United States of America.
Education
Shaikh Abdulla obtained his Bachelor’s Degree from Bentley University and later completed his Master in Business Administration at the same institution. He also received a certificate from Harvard Kennedy School focusing on “Innovation in Governance” and is currently pursuing a PhD at the International School of Management in Paris.
Professional Career
His professional career began at the Royal Court, where he oversaw Educational, Medical, and Social Affairs. He later joined the General Organization for Youth and Sports, serving as Director of Planning and Follow-up and subsequently as Director of Financial and Human Resources.
In 2010, he was appointed Governor of the Southern Governorate of Bahrain, the largest governorate with significant development potential.
He played a key role in launching partnerships and national initiatives, including anti-violence and anti-addiction programs in collaboration with international organizations. He also contributed to drafting Bahrain’s National Anti-Drug Strategy with the United Nations Office on Drugs and Crime, launched in 2016.
Volunteer Work
Shaikh Abdulla served as a member of the Bahrain Olympic Committee and held leadership roles in various regional and international sports organizations. He contributed significantly to the development of sports initiatives, including supporting the formation of women's teams and international collaborations.
Honors & Awards
His contributions have been recognized with several prestigious awards, including an Honorary Distinction Award in 2016, the Stevie Award in 2019, the Prince Salman bin Hamad Medal for Medical Merit in 2022, and NUSACC’s Ambassador of the Year Award in 2022.
VADM (ret) Douglas Katz
Information coming soon.
Mrs. Heidi Whitney
Information coming soon.
H.E. Amb. William Roebuck
Information coming soon.
VADM (Ret) Jim Malloy
Information coming soon.
H.E. Ambassador Steven Bondy
Information coming soon.