Career
Prior to his appointment as Assistant Secretary, Russel was Special Assistant to the President and National Security Staff Senior Director for Asian Affairs. While working at the White House, he was a major figure in the Obama administration"s "pivot towards Asia" strategy. Diplomatic Prior to his appointment as Assistant Secretary on July 12, 2013, Mr.
Russel served at the White House as Special Assistant to the President and National Security Council (National Security Council) Senior Director for Asian Affairs.
During his tenure there, he helped formulate President Obama’s strategic rebalance to the Asia Pacific Region, including efforts to strengthen alliances, deepen United States. engagement with multilateral organizations, and expand cooperation with emerging powers in the region. In 1996, Mr. Russel was awarded the State Department"s Una Chapman Cox Fellowship sabbatical and authored America’s Place in the World, a book published by Georgetown University.
Before joining the Foreign Service, he was manager for an international firm in New York City. Mr. Russel was educated at Sarah Lawrence College and University College, University of London, United Kingdom. He is from New Rochelle, New New York