Michael Duffin

About Michael Duffin

I have 12 years of experience as a civil servant at the U.S. Department of State, where I was a senior advisor in the Bureau of Counterterrorism’s Office of Countering Violent Extremism. In this role, I organized events with His Holiness the Fourteenth Dalai Lama, wrote remarks for Secretary of State John Kerry and other senior State Department officials, and mobilized hundreds of cities around the world to participate in the Strong Cities Network. I also spoke on C-SPAN, at the United Nations and the Organization for Security and Cooperation in Europe, and at dozens of conferences and workshops around the world. My creative and innovative approach to countering hate and extremism were recognized with a Superior Honor Award, a Quality Step Increase, a Franklin Award, and seven Meritorious Honor Awards.

Experience

1. Senior Policy Advisor

   U.S. Department Of State

   Apr 2016 — Present · Washington, DC, US

   Oversee policy on combating antisemitism and other forms of hate• Draft policy papers, speeches, and social media content for senior officials• Formulate budget and develop strategy for public diplomacy efforts• Design, implement, monitor, and evaluate community resilience initiatives• Engage in inter-governmental affairs with U.S. city leaders, including through the U.S. Conference of Mayors and the National League of Cities• Engage foreign city leaders, including through the Strong Cities Network• Represented the United States at the United Nations and the Organization for Security and Cooperation in Europe• Traveled to 25 countries to engage foreign governments and participate in conferences• Organized multiple domestic and international workshops and summits• Moderated panels and delivered formal and informal remarks at dozens of public events, including the South by Southwest Festival and the Eradicate Hate Global Summit• Organized multiple engagements with the Dalai Lama and other prominent religious leaders• Recipient of the Superior Honor Award (2023), Meritorious Honor Award (seven times), and the Quality Step Increase award• Completed the Executive Potential Program through Graduate School USA (2022)• Published “Poland’s Evolving Violent Far-Right Landscape” for the West Point Counterterrorism Center’s CTC Sentinel while conducting a Non-Resident Fellowship at Ghent University’s Institute for International Research on Criminal Policy (2022)

Education

• Northwestern University

  Master of Science in Journalism

  2000 — 2001

• University of Southern California

  Master of Public Diplomacy

  2012 — 2013

• University of Southern California

  Master of Public Diplomacy

  2012 — 2013

• DePaul University

  Bachelor of Arts (B.A.)

  1996 — 2000

• The Johns Hopkins University - Paul H. Nitze School of Advanced International Studies (SAIS)

  Master of International Public Policy

  2013 — 2015