Avis T. Bohlen, Foreign Policy Expert, Becomes Chair of IREX Board of Directors Elizabeth Jones, Executive Vice President for APCO Worldwide, Joins IREX Board

IREX announces that Avis T Bohlen, Public Policy Scholar and former US Ambassador, has been named Chair of the Board of Directors for IREX.  Elizabeth Jones, Executive Vice President for APCO Worldwide and former US Ambassador, is also joining the IREX Board.

Avis T. Bohlen has been on the IREX Board since 2002. Currently adjunct professor at Georgetown University, she retired from the State Department in 2002 after some thirty years of government service. A career Foreign Service Officer, Ambassador Bohlen served as Assistant Secretary of State for Arms Control, US Ambassador to Bulgaria, Deputy Chief of Mission at the US Embassy in Paris, among others, and held numerous positions dealing with European issues and strategic affairs and arms control. Since her retirement, Ambassador Bohlen has been a Public Policy Scholar at the Woodrow Wilson International Center and a member of the International Commission for the Balkans. She serves on a number of boards, including the Stimson Center, the Defense Advisory Committee of the Center for Naval Analysis, the Atlantic Council and the American College of Sofia. Ambassador Bohlen earned her master's degree from Columbia University and received her bachelor's degree from Radcliffe College.

A. Elizabeth (Beth) Jones is currently an Executive Vice President for APCO Worldwide. She spent 35 years in the US Foreign Service, where she achieved the highest rank of Career Ambassador serving as US Ambassador to Kazakhstan and in numerous high-ranking US government positions throughout Europe, Eurasia, South Asia, and the Middle East. As Assistant Secretary for Europe and Eurasia for the US Department of State, Ambassador Jones designed US policies for NATO and European Union countries, Russia, Ukraine, the Caucasus and Central Asia.  Ambassador Jones received her Master of Arts in International Relations, Strategic Studies from Boston University’s Berlin Campus and a Bachelor of Arts in History from Swarthmore College.  She speaks Russian and German and has a basic knowledge of Arabic.

"It is a great honor and privilege to serve as Chair of the IREX Board," noted Ambassador Bohlen. "As a former diplomat, I am convinced that US engagement overseas is strengthened by IREX's forward-thinking programming in education, academic and professional exchanges, independent media, and civil society development. IREX builds successful partnerships with international and local organizations to make a positive impact on people's lives and their communities. I look forward to working with President Mark Pomar and his talented and dynamic staff to expand IREX's programming around the world."

"I am delighted to welcome Ambassador Avis Bohlen as our new Chair and Ambassador Beth Jones as a new member of the Board," said IREX President Mark Pomar. "Their leadership in international relations and their vast knowledge and understanding of the major issues facing the United States today will be invaluable to IREX as we continue to expand to new regions of the world."

IREX is an international nonprofit organization providing leadership and innovative programs to improve the quality of education, strengthen independent media, and foster pluralistic civil society development. Founded in 1968, IREX has an annual portfolio of $50 million and a staff of over 500 professionals worldwide. For information about the IREX and the members of the Board of Directors, please visit www.irex.org.