Jon Danilowicz

Jon Danilowicz is a retired Senior Foreign Service Officer with over three decades of experience reporting on and analyzing global political developments, managing justice sector assistance programs, and providing leadership in some of the United States' most challenging diplomatic posts.

Mr. Danilowicz served with the U.S. Department of State for 32 years, holding senior posts around the world. He served as Deputy Chief of Mission in Juba, South Sudan (2020–2021), where he coordinated U.S. Government efforts to promote peace and prosperity and managed the day-to-day operations of a diplomatic mission with over 400 employees across four U.S. Government agencies. Earlier in his career, he served as Deputy Chief of Mission in Dhaka, Bangladesh (2012–2014), acting as chief operating officer for an embassy comprising ten agencies, more than 650 staff, and an annual budget exceeding $230 million.

His postings also included Consul General in Peshawar, Pakistan (2014–2015), where he led a team of over 230 American and local staff overseeing U.S. activities across Khyber Pakhtunkhwa Province and the Federally Administered Tribal Areas; Director of the International Narcotics and Law Enforcement Affairs Section in Islamabad, Pakistan (2011–2012), where he managed a $100 million annual law enforcement assistance program; and Political/Economic Counselor in Dhaka, Bangladesh (2007–2011). He also directed counter-narcotics and law enforcement programs as Director of the International Narcotics and Law Enforcement Affairs Section in Panama City, Panama (2003–2006).

Mr. Danilowicz twice served on the faculty of the U.S. Naval War College as State Department Senior Faculty Advisor (2006–2007 and 2018–2020), instructing U.S. and foreign military officers and civilians in the Strategy & Policy Department. From 2015 to 2018, he served as Diplomat in Residence for New England, recruiting candidates for State Department careers, internships, and fellowships throughout the region.

Since retiring from the Foreign Service, Mr. Danilowicz has remained active in international affairs and public service. He currently serves as a Nonresident Senior Fellow with the Atlantic Council's Scowcroft Middle East Security Initiative, focusing on Bangladesh's geopolitics and sub-regional cooperation in South Asia. He is Editor at Large of South Asia Perspectives, a quarterly magazine offering commentary and analysis on South Asian politics, democracy, human rights, and international relations. He also serves as a Director of Right to Freedom (R2F), a 501(c)(3) organization dedicated to promoting democracy, human rights, and freedom of the press and speech worldwide. From 2023 to 2025, he served as an Assessor for the U.S. Army War College, evaluating the strategic leadership capabilities of candidates for brigade-level command.

Mr. Danilowicz holds a Master's degree in National Security Studies from the U.S. Naval War College and a Bachelor of Science in Foreign Service from Georgetown University.