Edward M. Gabriel, born March 1, 1950, grew up in Olean, New York. He served as the United States Ambassador to Morocco from November 1997 to March 2001, during which time he helped launch a new U.S.-Morocco strategic relationship encompassing political, military, and economic dimensions. Earlier in his career, Gabriel was the founding President of the Madison Public Affairs Group, a prominent public affairs firm in Washington, DC, representing private and nonprofit clients on domestic and international issues. He has extensive experience in international affairs, including convening multilateral policy forums on national security, trade, energy, and Russian nuclear non-proliferation. Gabriel currently serves as CEO of the American Task Force on Lebanon and on the board of directors of the United States Institute of Peace. His work has focused on diplomacy and public affairs in the Middle East and broader global security contexts.