Patricia Kabra

As the managing director for policy and planning for the under secretary of public diplomacy and public affairs at the Department of State, Kabra successfully led and integrated strategic planning, evaluation, research and digital diplomacy into the mission of public diplomacy worldwide. She also served as deputy and acting director for public diplomacy in the Near Eastern Affairs Bureau during the Arab Spring, during a period of mounting conflict and turmoil in the region.

Kabra has managed embassy public affairs operations in Cairo, Doha, Tunis, Jerusalem and Damascus — and speaks fluent Arabic and French. As the public affairs counselor in Cairo, in the aftermath the 2011 revolution, Pat acted as the embassy spokesperson and coordinated communication strategies across multiple government agencies, directing a team of fifty to respond to crises and high-level visits, increase public outreach and implement over $20 million in projects and grants.

She has received numerous awards and recognition for superior service from the Department of State, as well as a civilian award of honor from the Department of Defense.

In addition to her diplomatic service, Kabra is a university instructor and researcher whose skill was recognized by the Department of State in 2014 with a position as a diplomatic fellow teaching public diplomacy at the George Washington University. She also taught history, philosophy, humanities, sociology, English and Islamic studies in Los Angeles.

Kabra has a Ph.D. from the University of California Los Angeles in the history of the Middle East, an M.A. from Pennsylvania State University in the history and anthropology of the Middle East and Africa, and two bachelor's degrees from Penn State in philosophy and fine arts. Kabra has experience in academic publishing and editing, writing, cultural programming and the arts.