Around the Table with Hadeil Ali

Around the Table is a three-question interview series from the Make Room email newsletter. Each edition features a conversation with a peer in the national security community to learn about their expertise and experience in the sector.

Hadeil Ali is chief of staff of the Global Development Department and director of the Diversity and Leadership in International Affairs Program at the Center for Strategic and International Studies (CSIS). The views expressed are those of the author and do not necessarily reflect the position of CSIS.

What inspired you to get into national security and international relations, and how did your background shape your journey? 

I had quite the international upbringing as someone who was born to Egyptian parents in Berkeley, California, and grew up between Egypt, Bahrain, and Qatar while attending international French schools. The early privilege to be surrounded by classmates from all over the world, learn multiple languages simultaneously, and immerse myself in different cultures was a strong impetus for my interest in political science and international affairs. As someone who is Egyptian American, the Arab Spring was an important event that drove my continued interest in these issues and led me to pursue a master’s degree focused on Middle Eastern studies at Georgetown. I have always seen my background as an asset when we talk about national security and international affairs because it gives me a unique lens to look at policy issues or challenges.

What made you want to focus on diversity and leadership in national security, and why is it so important? 

I pursued a masters in Middle East studies because I wanted to work on policy issues related to that region within the D.C. ecosystem, and I thought that my personal background and academic training would be a great fit for that type of career. But life happens and things don’t go as you always plan. Once I spent some time in D.C. and within the think tank world, I saw a real challenge that not many people were tackling, which is the lack of diversity in national security. I thought there was a real opportunity to bring new ideas and ultimately have a significant impact on the field. My goal was not just to do this work at CSIS, but also think about the broader importance of this work for the national security space. There are so many arguments to make about why this is a worthwhile investment. This work is about redefining national security to allow for more diverse voices and perspectives, elevate issues that are typically understudied or overlooked in the field, and ultimately reexamine the typical lens used to address national security challenges.

What has been the most rewarding experience in your career so far, and why? 

I think launching the Driving Impact video and audio series in 2023 which explores the personal and professional journeys of today’s most prominent policy trailblazers (shameless plug!). Quite often we are given projects or ideas to implement, but it is rare to have the space and ability to think through new ideas and bring them to fruition. That’s exactly what happened with Driving Impact; it began as a brainstorming session with a team member and now we have wrapped up two successful seasons. This experience has taught me the importance of being someone that can identify gaps within sectors or fields and then think through innovative ideas to fill those. I think it is also important to challenge people’s perception of what you are capable of doing especially as a woman of color. Think big. Don’t limit yourself. Allow yourself the space to imagine.

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