During a 28-year State Department career, Daniel Rosenblum ran the two biggest Embassies in Central Asia as U.S. Ambassador to, first, Uzbekistan and then Kazakhstan (2019-25); shaped policy and managed U.S. relations with Central Asia as Deputy Assistant Secretary of State (2014-19); and oversaw more than $1 billion annually in foreign assistance to 30 countries as Coordinator of U.S. Assistance to Europe and Eurasia (2008-14). A graduate of Yale (BA in History) and Johns Hopkins SAIS (MA in Soviet Studies), he became our country’s leading expert on utilizing foreign aid to enhance stability and sovereignty in the former Soviet region. Later he became the U.S. government’s lead diplomat for Central Asia, expanding security cooperation, facilitating billions of dollars in U.S. exports and investment, and conducting public outreach that expanded American influence. Retired from government service since April 2025, Rosenblum now teaches, writes and speaks about leadership, diplomacy, and Central Asian history and culture. He serves on the Board of Trustees of American Councils for International Education and the American University of Central Asia, and is a Diplomatic Fellow at Georgetown University’s Institute for the Study of Diplomacy. He also co-hosts the podcast “American Diplomat,” sponsored by Arizona State University.