Ellen Laipson is the Director of the International Security Program at the Schar School of Policy and Government at George Mason University and directs the Center for Security Policy Studies. She joined GMU in 2017 after a distinguished 25 -year career in government and as President and CEO of the Stimson Center (2002-2015). Her last post in government was Vice Chair of the National Intelligence Council (1997-2002). She also served on the State Department's policy planning staff, the National Security Council staff, and worked at the Congressional Research Service for more than a decade.

A member of the Council on Foreign Relations and the American Academy of Diplomacy, Ms. Laipson serves on the Advisory Councils of Georgetown University's Institute for the Study of Diplomacy, Notre Dame's International Security Center, the Center for Climate and Security, and WWF's Oceans Futures. She was a member of the CIA External Advisory Panel from 2006-2009, President Obama's Intelligence Advisory Board from 2009-2013, and on the Secretary of State's Foreign Affairs Policy Board 2011-2014.

Ms. Laipson holds an M.A. from the School of Advanced International Studies, Johns Hopkins University, and an A.B. from Cornell University.