For Immediate Release, December 22, 2011
Contact: David Early, 202-429-7817 or Allison Sturma, 202-429-4725

(Washington) -- The United States Institute of Peace (USIP) has appointed Beth Cole as dean of institutional affairs for its Academy for International Conflict Management and Peacebuilding. Cole will play a key leadership role in guiding coordination of training services between USIP and the federal government, especially the Departments of Defense and State, and nongovernmental and international organizations (NGOs, IOs).

The Academy is the only U.S. government enterprise that offers training in conflict management and peacebuilding tradecraft to all the various whole-of-government and community actors—including military and civilian agencies, NGOs, IOs, foreign militaries and governments, and colleges and universities.

In previous assignments with USIP, Cole served as director of intergovernmental affairs and as a senior program officer specializing in civil-military relations in peace and stability operations. She was the executive director and lead writer of the U.S. Army-USIP joint production of the first whole-of-government doctrine for stabilization, Guiding Principles for Stabilization and Reconstruction (2009). She has worked extensively to improve capacity building efforts using a whole-of-government and community approach, and to help identify training and education needs to enhance military and civilian effectiveness in post-conflict peace and stability operations.

"We are expanding our already significant support of military and civilians abroad by creating and providing state-of-the-art training capabilities," said Dr. Richard H. Solomon, USIP president. "These relationships provide decisive advantages for whole-of-community peace and stability operations. Beth Cole's experience in international conflict management and peacebuilding will allow the Institute to better support national security and the needs of both the State and Defense departments and the broader community."

Prior to joining USIP, Cole was director of the Congressional Roundtable on Post-Cold War Relations in the U.S. Congress and a senior fellow at George Mason University’s Program on Peacekeeping Policy. Cole also served in positions at the Congressional Research Service and the U.S. Department of State working on arms control treaty issues and was executive director of several non-governmental organizations, including the Center for Arms Control and Non-Proliferation and the Peace Through Law Education Fund.

In announcing her appointment, Solomon said, "Beth has proved to be an extraordinarily talented leader in peacebuilding and a recognized expert in interagency processes for coordination,” said Solomon. "We are fortunate that she has already served USIP with distinction and is immediately prepared to work collaboratively with NGOs, the military, our foreign affairs agencies and across the government to help enhance national security and increase the nation’s training preparedness for managing conflicts before they escalate.”

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The United States Institute of Peace is the independent, nonpartisan conflict management center created by Congress to prevent and mitigate international conflict without resorting to violence. USIP works to save lives, increase the government’s ability to deal with conflicts before they escalate, reduce government costs, and enhance national security. USIP is headquartered in Washington, DC. To learn more visit www.usip.org.