Robert Nelson

Robert Nelson serves as Senior Advisor for Foreign Policy at Third Way. His work focuses on shaping a principled and pragmatic vision for American foreign policy, drawing on experience spanning the Pentagon, Capitol Hill, and academia. Prior to joining Third Way, Robert worked in the Office of the Under Secretary of Defense for Policy, where he coordinated the Secretary of Defense's China Brief. During his time on Capitol Hill, Robert staffed Senator Chris Murphy on the Senate Foreign Relations Committee. He is also an officer in the U.S. Navy Reserve and a returned Peace Corps volunteer who was stationed in Nicaragua. Robert's analysis has been featured in Foreign Policy, The Diplomat, and The National Interest, among other publications. He holds a Ph.D. in political science and an M.A. in international policy from Stanford University, and a B.A. in political science and economics from UC Berkeley. Between Berkeley and Stanford, Robert drove from California to DC six times. He has since settled in Virginia, where the commute is (traffic permitting) shorter. When he's not thinking about geopolitics, he can usually be found on the water with a rod in his hand or cooking dinner for his family.