As Managing Director for Straife, Ambassador Matthew Bryza helps clients traverse complex geopolitical challenges. He currently serves on the boards of energy and telecommunications companies operating from the greater Caspian region to Texas. Ambassador Bryza is also a Board Member of the Jamestown Foundation, a think tank headquartered in Washington, DC. He was formerly Director of the International Centre for Defense and Security in Tallinn, Estonia, where he founded the think tank’s energy security and cyber security programs. In 2012, Matthew completed a 23-year career as a U.S. diplomat, culminating as Ambassador to Azerbaijan. Earlier, he served as Deputy Assistant Secretary of State (2005-2009) and Director on the National Security Council Staff at the White House (2001-2005) for U.S. relations with Turkey, Cyprus, Greece, Central Asia, and the South Caucasus. From 1998 to 2001, Ambassador Bryza was the Deputy Special Advisor to the President and Secretary of State on Caspian Basin Energy Security. Bryza also served in the U.S. Missions to Russia (1995-1997) and Poland (1989-1991). He is a frequent commentator in media outlets including CNN International, Al Jazeera, The BBC, Fox News, The Financial Times, Washington Post, New York Times, Wall Street Journal, Bloomberg, and Chicago Tribune, as well as numerous outlets in Turkey and the South Caucasus. Matthew is the recipient of Estonia’s Cross of Terra Mariana and Georgia’s Order of St. George. He received his Bachelor’s degree in international relations from Stanford University and his master’s degree from the Fletcher School of Law and Diplomacy at Tufts University.