Tara Sonenshine

Tara D. Sonenshine, former U.S. under secretary of state for public diplomacy and public affairs is an Emmy-award winning journalist with ABC NEWS, former Newsweek editor, author of numerous articles on foreign affairs. Tara Sonenshine served as the Executive Vice President of the United States Institute of Peace. She taught public diplomacy at The Elliott School of International Affairs at The George Washington University and served as the school’s Senior Career Advisor. She is a regular columnist for TheHill.com. Ms. Sonenshine is a member of the Council on Foreign Relations, and is quoted widely on media, foreign policy, and public diplomacy.

Research/Areas of Interest:

Foreign policy, communications, public diplomacy, cultural engagement, media

Education

• BA, Tufts University, Medford, United States, 1981
• Semester, London School of Economics, England, 1979

Tufts University Appointments

• Professor of the Practice
  Tufts University, Fletcher School of Law and Diplomacy, 1 Jan 2022 - present
• Director, Edward R. Murrow Center for a Digital World
  Tufts University, Fletcher School of Law and Diplomacy, 11 Feb 2022 - 11 Feb 2022

Academic Positions

• Public Diplomacy Fellow
  The George Washington University, School of Media and Public Affairs, United States 2020 - 2021

Non-academic Positions

• Senior Career Coach
  The George Washington University, Elliot School of International Affairs, United States 2016 - 2020
• Independent Consultant
  Provide strategic planning and media consulting to domestic and international organizations as well as work on gender-related issues and outreach. 2013 - 2016
• Under Secretary of State for Public Diplomacy and Public Affairs
  U.S. Department of State 2012 - 2013
• Executive Vice President
  United States Institute of Peace 2009 - 2012
• Independent Consultant
  Provided strategic planning and media consulting to international organizations as well as work on gender-related issues and outreach. 1995 - 2008