Wardah Khalid

Wardah Khalid is a policy analyst, activist, career coach, and public speaker based in Washington, D.C. She currently serves in the US Department of State and is the Founder and Board President of Poligon Education Fund, a national civic education and advocacy organization strengthening American Muslim engagement with Congress.

Wardah has significant experience working with federal policy makers on refugee and immigration issues, civil rights, Middle East and South Asian affairs, and national security. She has served on Capitol Hill, with secular and faith based NGOs, federal agencies, and UN agencies in the US and abroad.

Wardah was recognized by ABC's Nightline as one of the country's top millennial activists. Her writing and commentary has been featured in outlets including the Washington Post, CNN, The Guardian, NPR, and US News & World Report. She authored the “Young American Muslim” blog for the Houston Chronicle and hosted "Reality Check" on One Legacy Radio.

​Wardah is a Security Fellow with the Truman National Security Project, American Muslim Civic Leadership Institute (AMCLI) Fellow at the USC Center for Religion and Civic Culture, former Scoville Fellow, a 2020 AAPI National Security and Foreign Policy Next Generation Leader by New America and Diversity in National Security Network (DINSN), a 2020 International Career Advancement Program (ICAP) Fellow, 2021 U.S. National Security & Foreign Affairs Leader by CSIS and DINSN, and 2022 Atlantic Council Millennium Leadership Fellow.

Wardah has significant UN and U.S. government experience working with and advising members of Congress and their staff, the White House, and State Department on the Iran nuclear negotiations and human rights issues pertaining to the Syrian and the Israel/Palestine conflicts. She traveled to Gaza, the West Bank, and Israel and provided policy recommendations to Congress and National Security Council staff on settlements and reconstruction issues, based on her observations. Her UN efforts include consulting for UN CTED on lone wolf terrorism as well as field work with UNRWA in Jordan, UNDP, and the Permanent Mission of the Organisation of Islamic Cooperation in New York.

Wardah holds a Masters in International Affairs from Columbia University's School of International and Public Affairs. Additionally, Wardah is a CPA and received a BBA and MS in Accounting from Texas A&M University.