Richard Nathan Haass is an American diplomat, author, and expert on global affairs, best known for his long tenure as President of the Council on Foreign Relations (CFR) from July 2003 to June 2023. He previously served as Director of Policy Planning at the U.S. State Department from January 2001 to June 2003, acting as a principal advisor to Secretary of State Colin Powell, and held multiple high-level positions across several U.S. administrations. Born on July 28, 1951, in Brooklyn, New York, to a Jewish family, Haass earned a Bachelor of Arts from Oberlin College in 1974, followed by a Master of Philosophy in 1978 and a Doctor of Philosophy in 1982 from Oxford University as a Rhodes Scholar. His early career included academic roles at Harvard University's Kennedy School of Government before entering public service, where he served in various capacities at the State Department and Department of Defense (1974–1979), was a member of the National Security Council staff under President Reagan, and directed the National Security Council's Middle East and South Asia Affairs under President George H.W. Bush, also serving as coordinator for the Middle East in the National Security Council. Haass additionally served as U.S. Coordinator for Afghanistan and as Special Envoy for Northern Ireland, succeeding George J. Mitchell and contributing to the peace process, for which he received the State Department's Distinguished Service Award. He has authored or edited over a dozen books on international relations, including 'The World: A Brief Introduction' and 'A World in Disarray,' and remains an influential voice in foreign policy discussions, frequently contributing to media outlets and think tanks like the Brookings Institution. In October 2022, Haass announced his departure from CFR, where he was succeeded by Michael Froman.