For Immediate Release	Contact: Nathan Sermonis sermonis@psaonline.org
February 1, 2013	202-293-8580

Andrew K. Semmel Named PSA Executive Director

Washington, D.C. – The Board of Directors at Partnership for a Secure America (PSA) is pleased to announce the appointment of Dr. Andrew K. Semmel as PSA’s new Executive Director. Dr. Semmel served as Senator Richard G. Lugar's foreign policy assistant for fifteen years, as the Deputy Assistant Secretary of State for Nuclear Nonproliferation, and more recently as Head of AKS Consulting, based in Washington, D.C.

Through his experience handling a diverse portfolio of national security and foreign policy issues in the Department of State, U.S.-China Security Review Commission, U.S. Senate, Department of Defense, and working with various international clients in the private sector, Dr. Semmel’s background spans the policymaking community in Washington, D.C.  A prolific commentator and author, Dr. Semmel has appeared in The Washington Times, Roll Call, and numerous scholarly journals and policy outlets.

Nathan Sermonis, currently on the PSA staff, will assume the responsibilities of the Deputy Executive Director.

“The Board believes this new dynamic leadership team will make PSA an even more influential voice in the promotion of bipartisanship in foreign policy,” said Chip Andreae and Jamie Metzl, Co-Chairs of PSA’s Board of Directors.

PSA expresses its appreciation to Matthew Hodes for his tenure as Executive Director and congratulates him on his appointment to the Directorship of the United Nations Alliance of Civilizations, a Secretary General’s initiative seeking to advance conflict prevention and combat extremism through building better relations between the Muslim world and the West.

“Matt's leadership has had a great impact for PSA,” said Andreae and Metzl. “Thanks to his efforts, we occupy a special space with Hill staffers of both parties and have laid a foundation for greater bipartisan collaboration for many years to come.