Daniel Schneiderman

Daniel Schneiderman is an adjunct senior fellow in the Center for a New American Security’s Middle East Security Program. He previously served as the senior coordinator for Afghanistan. Daniel reported directly to the under secretary of defense for policy on all defense policy matters involving Afghanistan. The Office of the Special Coordinator for Afghanistan (OSCA) was established in April 2023 and acts as the official Department of Defense (DoD) liaison to the congressionally mandated Afghanistan War Commission.

Before joining DoD, Mr. Schneiderman served as the deputy special representative for Guantanamo affairs at the Department of State.

Prior to joining the Biden-Harris Administration, Mr. Schneiderman was the head of advocacy and research for the U.S. Program at International Crisis Group (ICG), where he served as a subject matter expert on global conflict issues and shaped Crisis Group’s engagement with the executive branch, Capitol Hill, and Washington-based nonprofit community.

Previously in his career, Mr. Schneiderman served on the National Security Council (NSC) staff as director for Yemen from May 2016-May 2017, where he helped lead the U.S. government’s preparations for engagement in the UN-brokered peace process and response to the humanitarian crisis in the country. He has also previously served at the Department of State as special assistant in the Bureau of Counterterrorism, where he advised the coordinator for counterterrorism on world-wide counterterrorism strategy, policy, and operations. He has been awarded the Department of State's Superior Honor and Meritorious Honor awards for his work.

Mr. Schneiderman began his executive branch career as a presidential management fellow (PMF) at the Department of State as a Syria desk officer and has served at the Joint Staff J-5 Directorate of Strategy, Plans, and Policy covering Yemen and Oman. From December 2007-August 2009, he served on Capitol Hill in the office of Senator Charles Schumer. Mr. Schneiderman is a graduate of George Washington University in Political Science and holds an MA in international affairs (strategic studies) and international economics from the Johns Hopkins School of Advanced International Studies (SAIS). He lives in Maryland with his wife, Kate, and their two children.