David A. Merkel held senior positions in government in the White House, Department of State and Treasury, both Houses of Congress, and the Securities and Exchange Commission.
In 2008, he was appointed by President George W. Bush as Deputy Assistant Secretary of State for European and Eurasian Affairs. In this position he was responsible for Russia, Ukraine, Belarus, Moldova, Black Sea regional policy, and regional nonproliferation issues. He negotiated the US-Ukraine Strategic Partnership, signed by Secretary Rice and Ukrainian Foreign Minister Ogryzko on December 19, 2008, which affirmed the importance of the relationship, our shared values, and the importance of Ukraine’s security and territorial integrity. Mr. Merkel was U.S. negotiator to the Minsk Group for the Transnistria Conflict.
He also served as Director for Europe and Eurasia and as Director for South and Central Asian Affairs at the National Security Council from 2005-2007, overseeing U.S. policy in these regions. During his tenure, he led the inter-agency process, developing new policies for the Black Sea region and Central Asia. Within this position, he negotiated the 2006 U.S.-Kazakhstan strategic partnership, which focused on diversifying global energy sources, combatting international terrorism, and a commitment to democratic reform.
From 2003-2005, Mr. Merkel held the position of Deputy Assistant Secretary for International Affairs at the U.S. Department of the Treasury. He received the Exceptional Service Award for his time in this role.
Mr. Merkel also worked as International Counselor to the Chairman at the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission.
David A. Merkel served on the Senate Foreign Relations Committee as Senior Professional Staff for Europe and Eurasia during the Committee’s consideration of NATO Enlargement and elevated attention towards the Caucuses and Central Asia, following the terrorist attacks of September 11 2001. Earlier, Merkel was Senior Foreign and Defense Policy Advisor for the United States House of Representatives Policy Committee. He was the principal author of the Speaker’s Advisory Group on Russia Report and senior staff to the Congressional Policy Advisory Board.
David A. Merkel has testified before the US Congress and provided expertise to multiple political and government organizations, including the United Nations, the Organization for Security and Cooperation in Europe, the National Democratic Institute, and the International Republican Institute.
The President of Lithuania awarded David A. Merkel the NATO Star award for his contribution to European security. Merkel was director for the Eurasia Foundation and also worked as an election analyst for the Joint Election Observation Mission in Tajikistan. Mr. Merkel provided electoral assistance and served as an international election observer in Africa, Asia, Europe, and South America.
MR. Merkel was a founding pro-bono member of the Board of Trustees of Nazarbayev University in Kazakhstan and a member of the board for 12 years. He also served 13 years on the board of the Josef Korbel School of International Studies Social Science Foundation at the University of Denver, and currently serves as President of the Advisory Board of the Melikian Center for Russian, Eurasian, and East European Studies at Arizona State University. He was a visiting faculty member at the Azerbaijan Diplomatic Academy, specializing in the geopolitics of energy.
David A. Merkel is an adjunct professor at the College of Charleston and faculty at the Geneva School of Diplomacy and International Relations.
Mr. Merkel received a Bachelors in Business Administration in Economics. He also holds a Master of Sciences with Merit from the London School of Economics and Political Science (LSE) in International Strategy and Diplomacy.
David A. Merkel is a regular contributor to publications including The National Interest, The Hill, Nikkei Asia, The Jerusalem Post, and Modern Diplomacy.