Mark P. Lagon
Former Ambassador-at-Large and Director of the Office to Monitor and Combat Trafficking in Persons, State Department
Ambassador Mark P. Lagon is Former Executive Director and CEO of Polaris Project, a leading anti-human trafficking nonprofit running the primary national hotline, the National Human Trafficking Resource Center (1-888-3737-888).
Previously he was Ambassador-at-Large and Director of the Office to Monitor and Combat Trafficking in Persons (TIP). In this capacity, he was Chair of the Senior Policy Operating Group coordinating U.S. agencies domestic and global anti-trafficking policy. From 2004 to 2007, he served as Deputy Assistant Secretary of State for International Organization Affairs, responsible for U.S. human rights, humanitarian, and reform policy at the UN. He served on Secretary of State Colin Powell's Policy Planning Staff from 2002 until 2004. From 1999 to 2002, he was a senior staff member at the Senate Foreign Relations Committee working for Chairman Helms, responsible for UN, sanctions, and human rights policy.
Additionally, he has been Council on Foreign Relations International Affairs Fellow in residence at Bill Kristol's Project for the New American Century specializing in China policy, Deputy Staff Director of the House Republican Policy Committee working for Congressman Chris Cox, and chief aide to Amb. Jeane Kirkpatrick at the American Enterprise Institute. He has also been a visiting and adjunct professor at Georgetown University and The Institute of World Politics. He is author of the book, The Reagan Doctrine: Sources of American Conduct in the Cold War's Last Chapter. He has a Ph.D. from Georgetown University and a B.A. from Harvard University in Government.
Professional Experience
- Formerly on Policy Planning Staff, U.S. Department of State
- Formerly Senior Professional Staff Member, Senate Foreign Relations Committee
- Adjunct Professor of National Security Studies, Georgetown University School of Foreign Service
- International Affairs Fellow, Council on Foreign Relations
- Deputy Director and Senior Foreign and Defense Policy Analyst, House Republican Policy Committee
- Research Associate, American Enterprise Institute
- Staff Member, Bureau of Inter-American Affairs
Education
- A.B., 1986, Harvard University
- Ph.D., 1991, Georgetown University
Books
The Reagan Doctrine: Sources of American Conduct in the Cold War's Last Chapter
