Sophie Rutenbar

Sophie Rutenbar is a Visiting Scholar at New York University's Center on International Cooperation (CIC) and a Foreign Policy Visiting Fellow at the Brookings Institution.1 She brings expertise in conflict prevention and peacebuilding to these roles, supported by a Council on Foreign Relations International Affairs Fellowship.1

Background and Education

Sophie Rutenbar has an impressive academic background. She is a recipient of the Marshall Scholarship and holds master's degrees in Conflict, Security, and Development from King's College London, as well as Human Rights from the London School of Economics (LSE).1 She graduated magna cum laude from the University of Texas at Dallas, where she studied global politics as a Eugene McDermott Scholar and was selected as the university's first-ever Truman Scholar.1

Professional Experience

Rutenbar has extensive experience working with the United Nations:

• She served as the strategic planner for the office of the Special Representative of the UN Secretary-General at the UN Integrated Office in Haiti (BINUH).1
• She contributed to the Policy Planning Team of the UN Department of Peace Operations (DPO) from 2017 to 2019.1
• She was the inaugural US-sponsored associate expert/junior professional officer within the UN Secretariat from 2013 to 2015.1

Before her UN career, Rutenbar worked in Sudan and South Sudan, observing the 2011 referendum process on independence for South Sudan with the Carter Center and working for USAID's Sudan and South Sudan Transition and Conflict Mitigation Program.1 She also has experience in the Democratic Republic of the Congo, Zambia, and Thailand.1

Current Focus and Expertise

Rutenbar's current research focuses on understanding Haiti's complex socio-political landscape, exploring the interplay between economic and political elites shaping the nation's trajectory.1 Her deep understanding of these dynamics is informed by more than three years of living in Port-au-Prince.1 She is particularly interested in the often-misunderstood influence of gangs as pivotal actors in Haiti's political and economic realms.1

Additional Roles and Contributions

Sophie Rutenbar is currently serving as a Security Fellow with the Truman National Security Project, where she continues to leverage her expertise to advocate for effective US foreign policy and promote peace.1 She is known for being an emotionally intelligent, dynamic, and solutions-oriented researcher, writer, editor, and problem-solver with experience in producing results in complex environments.2