Ahmad Shah Mohibi is the founder of Rise to Peace and also serves as the director of Counter-Terrorism programs. In this role, he conducts research and analyzes policy issues related to terrorism, violent extremism, international security, and peace peacebuilding efforts to help inform the policy practitioners, analysts, the private sector, international and non-governmental organizations. Prior to that, he served as a Justice Advisor to the Department of State, Bureau of International Narcotics and Law Enforcement Affairs (INL) in Afghanistan, where he helped coordinate, implement, and monitor interconnected projects, including the $10 million initiative to build the Justice Center in Parwan. Prior to the State Department, Ahmad assisted the United States Military in various capacities to help provide comprehensive strategic planning and project management in support of the NATO-led Resolute Support mission to train, advise and assist the Afghan security forces and institutions. He holds a Master in International Policy and Practice from George Washington University and a BA in Government and International Politics from George Mason University.
Regularly presents at symposiums, conferences and discussion panels, and has authored numerous articles and reports for national and international newspapers and magazines. Frequently provides news analysis and commentary to media outlets, including the Washington Examiner, Voice of America, Aljazeera, Ariana News, The Diplomat Magazine, and TOLOnews.
Ahmad was born in the 1980s in Afghanistan in the midst of civil war, the same year the world was positively affected by the dissolution of the Soviet Union and the tearing down of the Berlin Wall. He founded Rise to Peace with the vision to use research to, “inform programs and policies to help steer vulnerable people away from violent extremism and towards an education that empowers the individual, supports diversity, and builds a path of tolerance and hope and implement projects to empower people so they can bring the change. Ahmad travels around the world and interview world leaders, tribal elders, former extremists and regularly speaks on symposiums, conferences, seminars, and discussion panels.
Specialties: Counterterrorism, National Security, Business Operations, Non-profit Governance, Policy and Strategy Development, Military, Education Development, Intelligence, Research Analysis, Media.
“different” does not mean wrong, but instead represent countless opportunities to embrace the beauty of what is unique about people and learn to understand the many cultures around the world” – Ahmad Shah Mohibi
