The ClassACT HR73 Board and the Benazir Bhutto Leadership Program Steering Committee invite you to join us in person for a social gathering introducing this year’s Benazir Bhutto Leadership Program Fellow, Waheed Ahmad of Afghanistan. This reception will begin with social time, wine, beer, soft drinks and delicious food, followed by a conversation between Waheed and ClassACT HR73 Board Member Leigh Hafrey, and classmate and former Ambassador, Peter Galbraith. Come learn more about Waheed, his perspective on Afghanistan, and his hopes for the future More information about Waheed, Leigh, and Peter below. We will plan time for questions from those attending. This is a great opportunity to meet our wonderful fellow and to share time together in a relaxed and beautiful setting.
Please join us.
Waheed Ahmad holds over a decade of experience at the intersection of national security, governance, and development. He notably served as a senior National Security staff of the Afghanistan Democratic Government (2001-2021). During his tenure, he was responsible for strategy and implementation of security sector reforms, and for developing the 2020 Afghanistan National Threat Assessment among other projects.
Originally from Baghlan, Afghanistan, Waheed’s passion for public service began during his adolescence. In the early days of the Afghanistan democracy, he led many civic activities in his hometown, including the establishment of a library and sponsoring a radio station for women voices.
He earned his bachelor’s degree in economics from Balkh University in Mazar, Afghanistan and later pursued a Master of Public Administration degree from State University of New York- Binghamton as a Fulbright Scholar. He has worked at every level of the Afghanistan Democratic Government, from sub-national conflict resolution and community engagement with the Ministry of the Interior to empowering sub-national elected bodies and local councils with the Independent Directorate of Local Governance. In his past roles, he worked closely with the United Nations Development Program, the United States and NATO mission in Afghanistan, and the World Bank, as well as other relevant stakeholders.
Waheed has also written many articles on Afghanistan’s security and political challenges that have been published in international news outlets, including a chapter on Afghanistan’s implementation of the UN Sustainable Development Goals. He has received several awards, including a top honor from the President of Afghanistan for his public service. He is fluent in English, Farsi, Pashto, and Urdu.
Waheed fled Afghanistan after the Taliban forcibly took power during the U.S. withdrawal from the country in 2021. Once in the U.S., he served as Resident Practitioner at the Institute for Genocide and Mass Atrocity Prevention (I-GMAP) at Binghamton University, focusing on human rights issues in Afghanistan. He is now a Mason Fellow pursuing his MC/MPA at the Harvard Kennedy School.
