The United States Studies Centre (USSC) has appointed world-renowned Indo-Pacific expert Dr Michael J. Green as its new Chief Executive Officer to lead the organisation.

Dr Green was Senior Vice President for Asia at the Center for Strategic and International Studies (CSIS) in Washington, DC, and serves as Director of the Asian Studies Program at Georgetown University. He also served as Special Assistant to US President George W. Bush as Senior Director for Asian Affairs on National Security Council staff.

USSC Chairman Mark Baillie said Dr Green’s appointment would help extend the Centre’s reach to US policymakers, which would, in turn, continue to build on the Australia-US alliance.

“Under his leadership, the CSIS in Washington has established the most extensive program on US-Australia relations of any US think tank, and we look forward to Mike increasing the USSC’s impact and relevance, continue to educate Australians about the US and strengthen the relationship between the two nations,” Mr Baillie said.

Dr Green said he was excited to lead the USSC in 2022 and beyond and personally witnessed its conception when he was in the Oval Office with President George W. Bush and Prime Minister John Howard as they discussed the Centre’s formation in 2004.

“When they discussed the idea of the US Studies Centre, polling in Australia about America wasn’t good, particularly among young people because of the Iraq war,” Dr Green said.

“So, the idea was to create a better understanding of the US-Australian alliance for this generation, who didn’t know much about the Battle of the Coral Sea or the Illinois National Guard troops fighting under Australian generals on the Western Front.”

“The Centre was a way to explain the US with all its idiosyncrasies and contradictions. And now looking at recent polls, I think both governments would be pleased at what the USSC has achieved, and I plan to continue this effort.”

Dr Green said his vision for the USSC was to reach a broader audience and play a more active role in not just providing analysis, but in shaping the foreign policy agenda.

“One of our missions is to get Americans thinking more about Australia and in different ways in terms of opportunities and understanding Australian voices,” Dr Green said.

“We will be more focused on agenda-shaping not just analysis and understanding. The Centre has an advantage in this because we have comprehensive coverage in the trade, economics and defence, which all relate to each other.

“The way you shape the agenda is through the power of convening on issues that reflect the business sector, of civil society, of scholars of national security experts.”

Dr Green will officially take up the position in May. Chief Operating Officer Edward Palmisano will be Interim CEO until Dr Green commences.

Media contact: 0468 480 165, ussc.media@sydney.edu.au