Current Members

Vice Admiral John W. Miller, United States Navy (Ret.), is a consultant, policy advisor, and speaker based in Washington, D.C. He retired from the U.S. Navy in 2015 after serving as Commander, U.S. Naval Forces Central Command, Commander, Combined Maritime Forces, and Commander, U.S. Fifth Fleet. :contentReference[oaicite:0]{index=0}

Designated a Naval Flight Officer in 1980, he accumulated more than 3,500 flight hours and 1,000 carrier arrested landings in the F-14 Tomcat. From 1990–1991, he served as a White House Fellow as Special Assistant to the Administrator of NASA. :contentReference[oaicite:1]{index=1}

His commands included VF-142, VF-101, USS Dubuque (LPD 8), USS Juneau (LPD 10), USS Constellation (CV 64), USS John F. Kennedy (CV 67), Carrier Strike Group 11, and the Naval Strike and Air Warfare Center. :contentReference[oaicite:2]{index=2}

After promotion to Rear Admiral, he served in key Middle East-focused leadership roles including Deputy Commander, U.S. Naval Forces Central Command/U.S. Fifth Fleet; Deputy Director for Strategy, Plans, and Policy (J5); Chief of Staff, U.S. Central Command; and Commander, U.S. Naval Forces Central Command/U.S. Fifth Fleet/Combined Maritime Forces. :contentReference[oaicite:3]{index=3}

In 2015, he received the Distinguished Service Medal. He is the Founder, CEO, and President of The Fozzie Miller Group, LLC, and Founder and CEO of VXMarine Group, LLC. :contentReference[oaicite:4]{index=4}

Education:
Bachelor of Science, United States Naval Academy
Distinguished Graduate, Naval War College
M.A. in International Relations, Salve Regina University :contentReference[oaicite:5]{index=5}

Regions of Expertise: Middle East, INDOPACOM, EUCOM
Issues of Expertise: National Security, Maritime Security, Fleet Operations, U.S. Foreign Policy :contentReference[oaicite:6]{index=6}

Contact:
+1-703-887-7222
millerjw79@gmail.com :contentReference[oaicite:7]{index=7}

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.

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.

Information coming soon.

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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.

Information coming soon.

Navy Veteran & Community Volunteer

Ms. Heidi Whitney is a Navy veteran who served as an aircrew radioman in TACAMO (Take Charge and Move Out), the airborne command and control platform for Navy submarines. She is also the proud mother of a Navy helicopter pilot. :contentReference[oaicite:0]{index=0}

Heidi lived in Bahrain from 2012 to 2015 while her husband was stationed there with the Fifth Fleet. During this time, she actively contributed to the military community, including managing voter registration and overseas ballot drives for Navy personnel and civilians, and serving on the base welcoming committee. :contentReference[oaicite:1]{index=1}

Professional & Volunteer Experience

Over the past twenty-five years, Heidi has been deeply involved in volunteer work supporting schools, churches, and military organizations. She provided on-site Red Cross support during post-Katrina relief efforts, helping connect local media and communities with essential services. :contentReference[oaicite:2]{index=2}

Leveraging her previous experience with the IRS, she also assisted and advised young Marine families through Navy-Marine Corps Services, offering guidance on financial and administrative matters. :contentReference[oaicite:3]{index=3}

Personal Life

Ms. Whitney resides in Virginia Beach with her husband. She is an avid global traveler and photographer, having visited countries across the Middle East and Europe. She has even earned a “polar plunge” certificate in the waters of Antarctica. :contentReference[oaicite:4]{index=4}

Information coming soon.

Information coming soon.

Senior Advisor – USA Strategic Investments, Bahrain Economic Development Board

Ambassador (Ret.) Steven C. Bondy is the Senior Advisor for USA Strategic Investments for the Bahrain Economic Development Board (EDB). He works with U.S. businesses to promote Bahrain as an investment destination across commercial sectors as companies pursue opportunities in Bahrain, the Gulf region, and globally. :contentReference[oaicite:0]{index=0}

Steve joined EDB in January 2026 after a distinguished diplomatic career of more than 34 years with the United States Department of State. Throughout his service, he focused on the countries and issues of the broader Middle East region. :contentReference[oaicite:1]{index=1}

Diplomatic Service

He served as United States Ambassador to the Kingdom of Bahrain from February 2022 until September 2025. Earlier leadership roles included Chargé d’Affaires and Deputy Chief of Mission in Abu Dhabi, UAE, and Assistant Chief of Mission in Kabul, Afghanistan. :contentReference[oaicite:2]{index=2}

Additional overseas assignments included Baghdad, Iraq; Manama, Bahrain; Cairo, Egypt; Amman, Jordan; and Ankara, Turkey. In Washington, D.C., he contributed to U.S. policies related to the Arabian Peninsula, Lebanon, and counterterrorism. Before joining the State Department, he worked for five years with a Fortune 200 American electronics manufacturer. :contentReference[oaicite:3]{index=3}

Honors & Awards

During his diplomatic career, Ambassador Bondy received the Presidential Rank Award, several State Department Superior and Meritorious Honor Awards, the Department of Defense Joint Civilian Service Commendation Award, and the 2016 State Department Senior Foreign Policy Advisor of the Year Award. :contentReference[oaicite:4]{index=4}

Upon completing his tenure as ambassador to Bahrain, His Majesty King Hamad bin Isa Al Khalifa awarded him the Order of Bahrain, First Class, in recognition of his efforts to strengthen the historic relationship between Bahrain and the United States. :contentReference[oaicite:5]{index=5}

Family

Steve and his wife Meghan are the proud parents of two adult children and recently welcomed their first grandchild. :contentReference[oaicite:6]{index=6}

Former U.S. Embassy Community Leader & Global Business Executive

Meghan Bondy has supported diplomatic service around the world for more than three decades. She accompanied her husband during U.S. State Department assignments in Turkey (1992–1994), Jordan (1994–1996), Egypt (2000–2004), Bahrain (2004–2007), the UAE (2017–2020), and again in Bahrain (2022–2025), where her husband Steve served as U.S. Ambassador. :contentReference[oaicite:0]{index=0}

Professional Experience

Throughout these international postings, Meghan held several embassy spouse leadership roles, including Manager of the Business Center for the MENA Economic Summit in Amman, Jordan (1995), Community Liaison Officer in Egypt and Bahrain, and Embassy Recreation Association Manager in Turkey. :contentReference[oaicite:1]{index=1}

She has also built a successful 20+ year career in the technology and payments industry, spending 12 years with JPMorgan Chase and the past eight years with Worldpay. :contentReference[oaicite:2]{index=2}

Education

Meghan is a native of St. Paul, Minnesota, and earned her Bachelor’s degree from the University of Minnesota. :contentReference[oaicite:3]{index=3}

Family & Interests

Meghan and her husband have two adult children, Rachel and Drew, and became first-time grandparents to Joey Rummel in March 2026. She enjoys travel, running, painting, scrapbooking, and quilting. :contentReference[oaicite:4]{index=4}

Advocacy

She is a passionate advocate for social justice, mental health awareness, and cross-cultural understanding. :contentReference[oaicite:5]{index=5}