Penn Washington names Celeste Wallander as inaugural executive director

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Provost John L. Jackson Jr. and Vice Provost for Global Initiatives Ezekiel Emanuel have announced that Celeste A. Wallander will join the University of Pennsylvania as the inaugural executive director of Penn Washington, beginning June 1.

Wallander will be responsible for the programmatic leadership and operational management of Penn Washington, working to fulfill Penn’s academic mission and bridge Penn research with policy discussions on a broad range of issues. Emanuel will continue to support Penn Washington as its inaugural faculty director, and Amy Gadsden, associate vice provost for global initiatives, will continue to serve as its deputy director.

Wallander brings to Penn Washington two decades of experience working at the highest levels of the federal government and three decades of experience in academic research and policy engagement. From February 2022 to January 2025, she served as assistant secretary of defense for international security affairs at the Department of Defense, where she advised on all aspects of defense and security policy related to Africa, Europe, and the Middle East. Prior to this role, she was special assistant to the president and senior director for Russia and Central Asia on the National Security Council (2013-17) and deputy assistant secretary of defense for Russia, Ukraine, and Eurasia policy (2009-12).

Wallander has also held faculty positions at Harvard University, American University, and Georgetown University and has advised on Russia and Eurasia policy at the Council on Foreign Relations, Center for Strategic and International Studies, and German Marshall Fund of the United States. She was president and CEO of the U.S. Russia Foundation from 2017 to 2022 and founded the Program on New Approaches to Russian Security, which continues today as a network of more than 140 academics around the world who are advancing innovative research on security and geopolitics related to Russia and Eurasia.

“Dr. Wallander brings deep experience to Penn and Penn Washington at a critical moment. Her wide expertise in shaping foreign policy and building programs and institutions will be invaluable as we expand the work of Penn Washington in the years ahead,” said Jackson.

We are fortunate that Celeste will build Penn’s program in Washington and are excited about this important new chapter for the University,” Emanuel said. “Celeste will make the University more engaged in helping to address the world’s most pressing problems—key ideals of In Principle and Practice.”

In June 2024, President J. Larry Jameson and Jackson announced the creation of Penn Washington as the University’s programmatic and physical presence in the nation’s capital As executive director of Penn Washington, Wallander will work closely with Penn’s academic community—including Schools, Centers, faculty, staff, and students—to connect research and policy, establish and expand partnerships, develop educational programming, and strengthen connections between Penn Washington and the University’s campus in Philadelphia.

“I am excited to join the University of Pennsylvania to advance the public service mission inherent in education,” said Wallander. “Penn Washington will be a resource and partner for current and future U.S. leaders navigating our complex world by connecting them to Penn faculty who are tackling these very same challenges in their research and seeking the answers we need.”

Wallander received a Ph.D. and master’s degree in political science from Yale University and a bachelor’s degree in political science from Northwestern University.