Jesse Marks

Jesse Marks serves as a Senior Advocate for the Middle East at Refugees International since December 2022, while also holding the position of Nonresident Fellow in the China Program at The Stimson Center since March 2022. As an author for Coffee in the Desert, an online platform focused on issues in China and the Middle East, Jesse engages with relevant topics and shares travel insights. Prior experience includes Associate Director for Middle East and China at Edelman Global Advisory and Middle East Policy Advisor at the Pentagon, US Department of Defense. Education encompasses a Master’s degree from Tsinghua University, an MPhil in International Relations and Politics from the University of Cambridge, and a Bachelor's degree in Near and Middle Eastern Studies from Florida State University, among other academic credentials.