Merissa Khurma was a fellow in the International Security program at New America. She is a strategic communications specialist with extensive leadership experience in issues relating to foreign policy and international security, gender equality, and government affairs. She has worked in a range of development projects in the Middle East that focused on economic development, the Syrian refugee crisis, education, youth, and sport. Additionally, Khurma served as director of the Office of Prince Ali Bin Al Hussein of Jordan (2010- 2013) and as press attaché and director of the Information Bureau at the Embassy of Jordan in Washington, D.C. (2003-2010). Khurma has a master of public administration from Harvard University’s Kennedy School of Government, a master of science in international security and foreign policy from Georgetown University, and a bachelor of art in political science from McGill University. She speaks Arabic and French.