Lauren Speranza
Security Panel, USA
Lauren Speranza is Director of the Transatlantic Defense and Security program at the Center for European Policy Analysis (CEPA), leading CEPA’s work on NATO and defense cooperation with allies and partners. Her expertise includes defense and deterrence in Europe, hybrid warfare, and NATO-EU relations. She has written extensively on Russian and Chinese hybrid threats, as well as NATO adaptation, U.S. force posture in Europe, and Mediterranean security. She has provided briefings and analysis to senior policymakers at NATO, in the EU, and in the U.S. government and Congress. Her work has been featured in several media outlets, including US News and World Report, Bloomberg, Defense One, Foreign Policy, and Newsweek. Prior to joining CEPA, Lauren was Deputy Director of the Transatlantic Security Initiative at the Atlantic Council. In this capacity, she played a leading role in managing NATO’s official public diplomacy efforts (NATO Engages) around NATO’s 70th anniversary and last three summits. Previously, Lauren worked with start-up Horizon Intelligence, the International Affairs Council in Raleigh, and several North Carolina state political campaigns. She has also been a fellow with the Atlantik-Brücke program and the Hertog Foundation. Lauren graduated summa cum laude and Phi Beta Kappa from Elon University with a BA in Political Science and International Studies. She also earned an MA in International Security from the Brussels School of International Studies in Belgium, where she graduated as Valedictorian.