Participant Biographies

Ralph Cossa

Ralph Cossa

President, Pacific Forum CSIS
Sesson 1 - "Back to History in East Asia?"

Mr. Cossa is president of the Pacific Forum CSIS in Honolulu, Hawaii and senior editor of the Forum’s electronic journal, Comparative Connections. He is the primary US representative and former international co-chair of the ASEAN Regional Forum Experts and Eminent Persons Group, as well as a founding member and incoming co-chair of the multinational Council for Security Cooperation in the Asia Pacific (CSCAP). He is a political/military affairs and national security specialist with more than 40 years of experience in formulating, articulating, and implementing US security policy in the Asia-Pacific region. He writes a regular column for the Japan Times and is a frequent contributor to the JoongAng Ilbo and other regional newspapers. He holds a B.A. in international relations from Syracuse University, an M.B.A. from Pepperdine University, an M.S. in strategic studies from the Defense Intelligence College, and an honorary Doctorate in International Relations from the University of Cambodia for his lifetime of work in promoting peace and stability in East Asia.