About

Philip Kosnett

Ambassador (Ret.) Philip S. Kosnett headshot with text "GNSI Non-Resident Distinguished Fellow"

AT A GLANCE:
Ambassador (Ret.) at Kosnett Associates LLC, Consultant, Writer, Lecturer

RESEARCH AREAS:
• Political-Military Partnership
• NATO
• Soft Power Diplomacy
• Diplomacy in Popular Culture

BIOGRAPHY:
Ambassador (Ret.) Philip S. Kosnett is a former U.S. diplomat with a career spanning Europe, the Middle East, and Asia, specializing in security cooperation and post-conflict governance. He served as the U.S. Ambassador to Kosovo, Chargé d’Affaires in Turkey and Iceland, and Deputy Chief of Mission in Turkey, Iceland, and Uzbekistan. His extensive experience also includes serving as a provincial administrator and political-military officer in Iraq and Afghanistan, with additional roles covering counterterrorism, law enforcement, and environmental diplomacy in Japan and The Netherlands. In Washington, Ambassador Kosnett worked in policy, crisis management, and intelligence roles.

Since retiring from federal service in 2021, he has continued his work in international affairs as a consultant, writer, and lecturer. Along with his wife Alison Kosnett, he established Kosnett Associates LLC. He is affiliated with several prominent organizations, including the Center for European Policy Analysis, the National Defense University’s Joint Forces Staff College, and AfghanEvac. Ambassador Kosnett is also an elected member of the American Academy of Diplomacy.

A graduate of Harvard University with a degree in Government, Ambassador Kosnett has studied multiple languages and speaks Turkish, Japanese, Dutch, and Russian. He has received numerous awards, including the Office of the Secretary of Defense Medal for Exceptional Civilian Service and the Republic of Kosovo Order of Dr. Ibrahim Rugova. He resides between Atlanta and the North Carolina mountains with his wife and their adopted Kosovo street dog.

PUBLICATIONS:

National Defence


JST


Marine Corps University Press


CEPA

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