Ambassador David Welch is the Chair of the Board of Directors of Partnership for a Secure America. He has a broad range of knowledge and experience in government and in business, both internationally and in the United States. Welch recently retired after 10 years (2009-2019) with Bechtel, a global engineering and construction firm, where he was a Senior Vice President and Partner, supervising international and government affairs; Bechtel’s regional representatives in Europe, Africa, the Middle East, Asia and Latin America; the Washington D.C. office; global corporate security; and internal and external corporate communications. He was a board member of the U.S.-Saudi Business Council, the U.S.-U.A.E. Business Council and the U.S.-Egypt Business Council, and is a member of the Council on Foreign Relations and the American Academy of Diplomacy. He is currently a Director of OCI NV, a global fertilizer firm with operations in the United States, Europe, North Africa, and the Middle East.

Ambassador Welch served 32 years (1977-2008) with the U.S. Foreign Service. He was nominated by the President and confirmed by the Senate to senior positions in successive Democrat and Republican administrations. In 2008, he attained the lifetime rank, confirmed by the Senate, of Career Ambassador. When he retired from government, David was Assistant Secretary of State for Near Eastern Affairs (2005-2008), the senior-most U.S. diplomat for the region. He served as Ambassador to Egypt (2001–2005) and Assistant Secretary for International Organizations (1998–2001). He was also acting Chief of Mission in Saudi Arabia (1992-1994) during an interregnum between Ambassadors. David was on the National Security Council staff at the White House (1989-1991), and also served in Pakistan, Syria, and Jordan. He was the recipient of numerous awards during government service, including a Group Award for Valor.

David Welch is a magna cum laude graduate of Georgetown University’s School of Foreign Service and the Fletcher School of Law and Diplomacy at Tufts University