In a significant move, Dr. Patrick Mendis, a former U.S. diplomat of Sri Lankan descent, has been appointed as an advisor to the U.S. National Security Education Board by President Joe Biden. The announcement, issued by the White House, highlights Dr. Mendis’s extensive experience and expertise in national security affairs.
Notably, Dr. Mendis previously served as a military professor in the North Atlantic Treaty Organization (NATO) and Indo-Pacific Commands during the Clinton, Bush, and Obama administrations. He has also held pivotal roles within various U.S. government departments, including Agriculture, Defense, Energy, and State.
Presently based in Washington DC, Dr. Mendis concurrently serves as a distinguished visiting professor of transatlantic relations at the University of Warsaw in Poland and a distinguished visiting professor of global affairs at the National Chengchi University in Taiwan.
The statement further underscores Dr. Mendis’s recent tenure as a commissioner to the U.S. National Commission for the United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization at the Department of State.
Previously, he served in key positions such as the Secretariat Director of the Bureau of Educational and Cultural Affairs under Secretary of State Colin Powell and the Chairman of the U.S. Interagency Policy Working Group on Science and Technology under Secretary of State Madeleine Albright.
Dr. Mendis’s diverse portfolio also includes roles as a Senior Policy Advisor to the U.S. Mission to the United Nations, an advisor to the Lawrence Livermore National Laboratory’s Center for Global Security Research, and a consultant to the World Bank. Additionally, he contributed significantly to the U.S. Senate Foreign Relations Committee.
Educationally, Dr. Mendis is an alumnus of the Hubert H. Humphrey School of Public Affairs at the University of Minnesota and the John F. Kennedy School of Government at Harvard University.
Beyond his professional engagements, Dr. Mendis is a prolific author with over 200 publications comprising books, journal articles, newspaper columns, and government reports. His academic reach extends to more than 25 Chinese universities and academies, reflecting his dedication to global education and diplomacy.
In sum, Dr. Patrick Mendis’s appointment underscores President Biden’s commitment to fostering diverse expertise and experience in national security matters, with Dr. Mendis poised to contribute significantly to the U.S. National Security Education Board.
