Frances Fragos Townsend currently runs her own independent consulting business. Until recently, she served as the executive vice president of corporate affairs, chief compliance officer, and corporate secretary at Activision Blizzard. Prior to that, she was vice chairman, general counsel, and chief administrative officer at MacAndrews & Forbes, Inc. In her ten years there, Townsend focused internally on financial, legal, and personnel issues, as well as international, compliance, and business development across MacAndrews’ portfolio companies. Before her tenure at MacAndrews, she was a corporate partner with the law firm of Baker Botts, LLP. From 2004 to 2008, Townsend served as assistant to President George W. Bush for homeland security and counterterrorism and chaired the Homeland Security Council. She also served as deputy national security advisor for combatting terrorism from May 2003 to May 2004. Ms. Townsend spent thirteen years at the U.S. Department of Justice under the administrations of President George H. W. Bush, President Bill Clinton, and President George W. Bush. She has received numerous awards for her public service accomplishments. Townsend is a director on the board of two public companies: Chubb and Freeport McMoRan, where she chairs or serves on compliance, compensation, governance, corporate social responsibility, and executive committees. She previously served on the public boards of Scientific Games, SciPlay, SIGA, and Western Union. Townsend also serves on multiple private company boards, where she is chairwoman of one and chairs all the compensation committees. For five years, Townsend was an on-air senior national security analyst for CBS News and, before that, she was at CNN for seven years. She previously served on the DNI’s Senior Advisory Group, the CIA External Advisory Board, and the U.S. President’s Intelligence Advisory Board. Townsend is a trustee on the board of the Hospital for Special Surgery; the Atlantic Council; the Center for Strategic and International Studies; the Intrepid Sea, Air & Space Museum; the McCain Institute; and the New York City Police Foundation. Townsend also serves on the executive committee of the Trilateral Commission, and the board of the International Republican Institute. She is a member of the Aspen Strategy Group.
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FeaturedIntroduction Over the last several decades, governments have collectively pledged to slow global warming. But despite intensified diplomacy, the world is already facing the consequences of climate…
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Regions
FeaturedIntroduction Throughout its decades of independence, Myanmar has struggled with military rule, civil war, poor governance, and widespread poverty. A military coup in February 2021 dashed hopes for…
Backgrounder by Lindsay Maizland January 31, 2022
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Explainers
FeaturedDuring the 2020 presidential campaign, Joe Biden promised that his administration would make a “historic effort” to reduce long-running racial inequities in health. Tobacco use—the leading cause of p…
Interactive by Olivia Angelino, Thomas J. Bollyky, Elle Ruggiero and Isabella Turilli February 1, 2023 Global Health Program
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Research & Analysis
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Public Health Threats and Pandemics
A detailed exploration of the most sweeping government border closures in human history during the COVID-19 pandemic and the implications for the future of global mobility.Book by Edward Alden and Laurie Trautman January 7, 2025
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Webinar with Carolyn Kissane and Irina A. Faskianos April 12, 2023
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Events
FeaturedSecretary Antony J. Blinken discusses the administration’s foreign policy and diplomacy, including his focus on rebuilding alliances and partnerships abroad to respond to shared challenges. (Appla…
Event with Antony J. Blinken and Michael Froman December 18, 2024
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