TEAM

Jason Blazakis is a Senior Research Fellow at The Soufan Center. He is a terrorism expert who devises strategies to prevent terrorists from gaining access to money and publicity. He presently works as Professor of Practice and Director of the Center on Terrorism, Extremism, and Counterterrorism at the Middlebury Institute of International Studies at Monterey. From 2008-2018, he served as the Director of the Counterterrorism Terrorism Finance and Designations Office, Bureau of Counterterrorism, U.S. Department of State. In his former role, Jason was responsible for directing efforts to designate countries, organizations, and individuals as terrorists, also known as State Sponsors of Terrorism, Foreign Terrorist Organizations, and Specially Designated Global Terrorists. Jason previously held positions in the Department of State’s Political-Military Affairs, International Narcotics and Law Enforcement Affairs, Intelligence and Research Bureaus, and at U.S. Embassy Kabul.
Prior to working at the Department of State, Jason served as a domestic intelligence analyst at the Congressional Research Service. In addition, he was the national security adviser to a United States Congressional Representative. Jason is an adjunct professor at Johns Hopkins University and the University of Maryland. He is also the President of Riptide Threat Mitigation Group, Inc., a geopolitical risk consultancy.
CONFERENCES & EVENTS
World Affairs Council of the Monterey Bay Area
Financing Terror: ISIS and Antiquities
January 28, 2019
The Forum on Returning Foreign Fighters
Foreign Terrorist Organizations: Policy Tools, Designation, and Financing.
October 31, 2018
COMMENTARY
Lawfare
Using a Terrorism List to Squeeze Cuba and Venezuela
May 31, 2020
The Hill
Better intel could help the US designate white supremacist groups as terrorists
March 25, 2020
Foreign Affairs
The Trump-Netanyahu Alliance Is Endangering Americans and Israelis
February 3, 2020
Foreign Affairs
Brexit Could Spark a Return to Violence in Northern Ireland
January 22, 2020
Just Security
What’s the New Terror Financing Executive Order All About?
September 17, 2019
TIME
Why Trump’s Latest Move Against Iran Was Pointless—and Dangerous
April 9, 2019