Jonathan Schroden, Ph.D.

Dr. Jonathan Schroden is the chief research officer within the Office of the President at CNA. In this role, he oversees CNA's Research Office, including the life cycle of research quality excellence, our independent research program, research publications, editing and support, human subjects research compliance, and research modernization and data governance. He previously served as the research director for the Afghanistan War Commission, acting vice president and director of CNA's Strategy, Policy, Plans, and Programs Division, the director of CNA’s Countering Threats and Challenges Program, and the director of CNA’s Special Operations Research Program. He is also the author of a forthcoming book on the history of US counterterrorism operations in Afghanistan.

Dr. Schroden has been with CNA since 2003, during which time his research focused on strategic competition, irregular warfare, Marine Corps and special operations, force design, and strategic and operations assessment. In support of the Department of Defense, he deployed or traveled 13 times to Afghanistan (twice at the request of the Commander, ISAF) and twice to Al Anbar, Iraq; traveled throughout the Middle East; gathered data aboard numerous Navy ships; and supported Hurricane Katrina disaster relief operations. Dr. Schroden served as a strategic advisor to the II Marine Expeditionary Force, Multi-National Force–West in Iraq, US Central Command, and the International Security Assistance Force in Afghanistan. He also served as CNA’s first interim advisor to the Marine Corps Special Operations Command. In addition to his role at CNA, he is also a Non-Resident Senior Fellow at the University of South Florida’s Global and National Security Institute and a senior advisor to the Global SOF Foundation. Previously, he served as a professorial lecturer at the George Washington University, senior advisor to the US Institute of Peace’s Afghanistan Study Group, and adjunct scholar with the US Military Academy’s Modern War Institute.

Dr. Schroden holds PhD and Master of Science degrees from Cornell University and Bachelor of Science degrees from the University of Minnesota–Duluth. His decorations include CNA's Phil E. DePoy Award for Analytic Excellence, the Cornell University Tunis Wentink Award, and induction into the Academy of Science and Engineering at the University of Minnesota–Duluth.