Allison Peters

Ms. Peters serves as Acting Deputy Assistant Secretary of State in the Bureau of Democracy, Human Rights, and Labor at the U.S. Department of State where she oversees the Bureau’s Office of Multilateral and Global Affairs, including its work on technology and human rights, and the Bureau’s Office of Policy Planning and Public Diplomacy. Previously, Ms. Peters served as the Senior Advisor to the Under Secretary for Civilian Security, Democracy, and Human Rights and the Senior Advisor to the Assistant Secretary for International Narcotics and Law Enforcement Affairs where she worked to advance rights-respecting approaches to technology and cyber policy and counter threats, including through the Summit for Democracy.

Prior to her time in government, Ms. Peters served as the Deputy Director of the National Security Program at the think tank Third Way where she regularly advised policymakers on a broad spectrum of foreign policy and national security issues. In this capacity, she helped to lead the Program’s Cyber Enforcement Initiative where her writing, research, and policy development focused on strengthening global cooperation and capacity to identify and bring to justice malicious cyber actors.

In addition, Ms. Peters previously served as the Director of Policy and Security Programs at the nongovernmental organization Inclusive Security where she advised and coordinated with policymakers on the development of policy frameworks to advance women, peace, and security, and regularly traveled to conflict-affected regions to implement field programs for security sector actors and women-led civil society organizations on issues related to countering violent extremism. She is a former Consultant Advisor to a number of international organizations, including the United Nations and Organization for Security and Co-Operation in Europe. Ms. Peters also spent seven years in the United States Senate, most recently serving as foreign policy and national security advisor to a senior senator and member of the Senate State and Foreign Operations Appropriations Subcommittee.

Ms. Peters graduated with a master’s degree in international security studies from Georgetown University’s School of Foreign Service and a bachelor’s degree in political science and psychology from Rutgers University. She is a former member of several public-private partnerships and advisory boards, including the Steering Committee of the Leadership Council for Women in National Security. She is the recipient of a number of State Department performance awards.