Ambassador Bonnie Jenkins

Shapiro Visiting Professor of International Affairs, Elliott School of International Affairs

Washington, District of Columbia, United States

About

A diplomatic and flexible leader with strong interpersonal skills and the ability to break down communication barriers. Adept at strategically identifying, devising, and implementing solutions to initiate and support international security strategies. Excellent qualifications in planning with comprehensive knowledge of management, organizational development, team building, and project execution. Would be interested in an adjunct teaching position where my skills and expertise in weapons of mass destruction (WMD) nonproliferation and disarmament, WMD threat reduction, diplomacy, international security, infectious disease, or international law will support and further the goals of the academic institution. Great attitude towards work, enjoy working in team using critical thinking to solve problems. AREA OF EXPERTISE - International Security - Public Administration - Project Management - Strategic Planning - Leadership and Team Building - Nonprofit Management - Foundation - Hiring and managing personnel - Fundraising - Attention to Detail - Time Management - Solving Complaints - Analytical Thinking - Excellent Leadership Qualities - Entrepreneur - Supervising Projects - Computer Proficiency - Excellent Communication and Interpersonal Skills - Excellent Management skills - Team Work and Results Oriented https://www.brookings.edu/blog/order-from-chaos/2017/09/06/the-biological-weapons-convention-at-a-crossroad/ https://www.brookings.edu/blog/order-from-chaos/2017/07/12/how-a-u-n-treaty-on-nuclear-weapons-makes-international-security-policy-more-inclusive/ Recent Speaking Engagements - 2018 Uncharted Festival of Ideas, https://www.berkeleyideas.com/ - 2018 Aspen Security Forum, "A New Nuclear Arms Race" - 2018 Participated in the Intelligence Squared Live Debate, "Negotiations Can Denuclearize North Korea" - 2017 Halifax International Security Forum, "The Fire and the Fury"

Experience

  • Founder and Executive Director at Women of Color Advancing Peace, Security, and Conflict Transformation (WCAPS)
    Oct 2025 - Present · 9 mos

    wcaps.org

  • Shapiro Visiting Professor of International Affairs at Elliott School of International Affairs, George Washington University
    Jan 2025 - Present · 1 yr 6 mos

  • Compton Visiting Professor of World Politics at University of Virginia, Miller Center
    Jan 2025 - Present · 1 yr 6 mos

  • Under Secretary of State for Arms Control and International Security at U.S. Department of State
    Jul 2021 - Dec 2024 · 3 yrs 6 mos

    Ambassador Bonnie Jenkins is currently the Shapiro Visiting Professor of International Affairs at the Elliot School of International Affairs at George Washington University and the Compton Visiting Professor at the Miller Center at the University of Virginia. In addition, she was also appointed as the Visiting Scholar/Practitioner at the University of Dayton Human Rights Center. She has also recently returned as the Executive Director of Women of Color Advancing Peace and Security (WCAPS), an organization she founded in 2017. From 2021 to 2024, she served as the Under Secretary of State for Arms Control and International Security Affairs. As Under Secretary of State, Jenkins oversaw three bureaus: the Arms Control, Deterrence, and Stability Bureau (ADS); the International Security and Nonproliferation Bureau (ISN); and the Political-Military Affairs Bureau (PM). She also led international efforts to promote nuclear technology in countries seeking alternative sources to combat climate change and to enhance their energy security. Highlighting the importance of interconnections among defense, diplomacy, and development, she spearheaded, with her bureaus, comprehensive reports on how their programs supported the Sustainable Development Goals. She also re-established the Secretary of State’s International Security Advisor Board (ISAB), which produced six studies on arms control and international security issues. Notably, she was appointed by Secretary of State Antony Blinken in May 2023 to lead the Department’s implementation of AUKUS, a trilateral security partnership among Australia, the United Kingdom, and the United States. Ambassador Jenkins is the first African American to serve as an Under Secretary of State.

  • Senior Fellow at Hubert H. Humphrey School of Public Affairs, University of Minnesota
    Nov 2020 - Jun 2021 · 8 mos

    Ambassador Bonnie Jenkins joins the Humphrey School as a senior fellow. Throughout the academic year, we will host conversations with Ambassador Jenkins on policy topics ranging from national security to the election to arms control.