We are delighted to announce that Dr. Grace Wermenbol is joining The Hague Centre for Strategic Studies (HCSS) as non-resident Senior Fellow for International Security and Geopolitics!
Dr. Wermenbol brings a wealth of experience at the intersection of geopolitics, national security, and foreign policy. At HCSS, she will strengthen the Centre’s work on U.S. foreign policy, transatlantic relations, Sino-U.S. competition, and the geopolitics of the Middle East.
Before joining HCSS, Dr. Wermenbol served in senior roles across the U.S. government, including at the State Department and the Office of the Director of National Intelligence (ODNI). As ODNI’s Director for Near East Strategic Planning, she guided Middle East programming across the U.S. government and helped shape policy in alignment with White House priorities. She also served as Acting Deputy National Intelligence Officer, coordinating strategic intelligence assessments for the National Security Council and contributing to the President’s Daily Brief—offering insights on critical Middle East developments to the U.S. President and senior policymakers.
On joining HCSS, Dr. Wermenbol states:
“At a time when the United States is re-evaluating and re-calibrating its foreign partnerships, and amid ongoing turmoil in the Middle East, I look forward to using my background and experience in national security and geopolitical affairs to support HCSS’ work on these important issues while contributing to transatlantic understanding and relations.”
Her distinguished public service has been recognized with multiple awards, including most recently the State Department’s Meritorious Honor Award (2025). Earlier in her career, she worked in the U.S. intelligence community on counterterrorism in Iraq, Syria, and Lebanon.
Beyond government service, Dr. Wermenbol has been a leading voice in academia and international policy debate. She is an Adjunct Professor at Georgetown University’s School of Foreign Service, where she teaches courses on the geopolitics of the Middle East and Sino-Middle East relations. She previously taught at the University of Oxford, where she earned her master’s and DPhil at St Antony’s College, and held research appointments at Oxford’s Department of Politics and International Relations.
Her book, A Tale of Two Narratives (Cambridge University Press, 2021), examines Israeli and Palestinian societies in the post-Oslo era. She has also been a Global Fellow at the Woodrow Wilson International Center for Scholars, an Associate Fellow at the Middle East Institute, and was recognized by the Middle East Policy Council’s 40 Under 40 for influential experts in 2023.
Dr. Wermenbol has previously worked with major international think tanks—including the Atlantic Council and Carnegie Endowment for International Peace—and intergovernmental bodies such as the United Nations. Her commentary has appeared in The Washington Post, BBC, France 24, Haaretz, and The Jerusalem Post, among others.
Originally from the Netherlands, Dr. Wermenbol is fluent in English, Dutch, French, and German, with working proficiency in Arabic and Hebrew.
At HCSS, Dr. Wermenbol will contribute her deep understanding of international security and geopolitics to advance our mission of providing independent, strategic analysis on global security challenges. We are thrilled to welcome Dr. Wermenbol to HCSS and look forward to her contributions to our work on international security, transatlantic relations, and the evolving balance of global power.
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