June 8, 2026
WASHINGTON, D.C. — Meridian International Center today announced that Deborah Lehr has been elected Chair of its Board of Trustees, effective June 3, 2026. Lehr succeeds The Honorable Fred P. Hochberg, who has served as Chair since June 2023. Meridian is a nonpartisan, nonprofit diplomacy center that empowers leaders for the next era of diplomacy.
Lehr has been a member of Meridian's Board of Trustees since 2022 and most recently served as Vice Chair and Chair-Elect. Earlier this year, she also served as Interim Chief Executive Officer, helping guide the organization through a leadership transition while advancing Meridian’s mission and strategic priorities.
“Deborah has consistently demonstrated the kind of leadership Meridian needs for this next chapter: globally fluent, strategically grounded, and deeply committed to advancing diplomacy through collaboration,” shared The Honorable David Bohigian, Chief Executive Officer of Meridian. “At a time when global challenges are growing more complex, her leadership positions Meridian to not only respond to this moment, but to help shape the future of diplomacy in meaningful and lasting ways. I am personally honored to be working with her to advance Meridian's important mission.”
Lehr is Chief Executive Officer of Basilinna and Executive Director of the Paulson Institute. She has worked across Asia, the United States, the Middle East, and Europe, with a focus on business advisory, sustainability, finance, and culture. Earlier in her career, she worked at the New York Stock Exchange and Merrill Lynch and served in the U.S. government as a Director at the National Security Council and Deputy Assistant U.S. Trade Representative. She is also the Founder and Chairman of the Antiquities Coalition, which combats the illicit trade in cultural heritage.
“I am honored to accept the chairmanship of Meridian,” Lehr said. “Throughout my career, I have seen that the most enduring progress is built through relationships — between countries, communities and people. That belief is at the heart of Meridian’s mission, and I look forward to working with our trustees, supporters and staff to build on its remarkable legacy and help shape its future.”
Meridian also announced the appointment of distinguished new members to its Board of Trustees: AJ Jones II, Executive Vice President and Chief Strategic and Corporate Communications Officer at Monumental Sports & Entertainment; Theresa “Terri” Fariello, Executive Vice President of Government Affairs & Global Public Policy at United Airlines; Manisha Kapani, President of the Kapani Family Foundation; and Nick Tzitzon, Vice Chairman of ServiceNow. These leaders bring deep expertise across business, government, philanthropy, and technology, further strengthening Meridian’s ability to convene cross-sector leaders and drive impact on global challenges.
Deborah Lehr, Chair, Meridian Board of Trustees
Deborah Lehr is the Chief Executive Officer of Basilinna, Executive Director of Paulson Institute and is Chair of the Board of Trustees at Meridian. After her firm was acquired, Deborah launched a new public affairs firm for the global PR firm, Edelman, where she doubled both the revenues and staff in three years. Basilinna relaunched in 2023. She also serves as the Executive Director of the Paulson Institute, created by former Treasury Secretary Hank Paulson. In addition, Deborah is the founder and Chairman of the Antiquities Coalition, which fights against the illicit trade in antiquities.
Earlier in her career, Deborah worked on Wall Street at the New York Stock Exchange and Merrill Lynch, as well serving in the U.S. Government as a Director at the National Security Council and a Deputy Assistant U.S. Trade Representative. Her dedicated efforts in fighting the illicit trade in antiquities have earned her global recognition, including the Hadrian Award from the World Monuments Fund and UNESCO has recognized her as one of its accomplished global women.
Deborah is on the Board of the National Geographic, the World Monuments Fund, the Smithsonian’s National Zoo and the Middle East Institute, and on the advisory boards of Sesame Workshop and ALPIH Foundation. She is also a member of the Council on Foreign Relations.
AJ Jones II, Executive Vice President, Chief Strategic and Corporate Communications Officer, Monumental Sports and Entertainment (MSE)
AJ Jones is a globally recognized corporate executive and communications leader with experience spanning media, entertainment, sports, retail, financial services, technology, philanthropy, investor relations, and public policy. He has held senior leadership roles across the corporate, government, nonprofit, and multilateral sectors and has worked extensively throughout Asia, Europe, the Middle East, and Africa. He currently serves as Executive Vice President and Chief Strategic & Corporate Communications Officer at Monumental Sports & Entertainment, reporting directly to the Chairman and CEO. He leads corporate strategy, communications, investor relations, and stakeholder engagement across the company's portfolio, including NBA, NHL, WNBA, esports, media, and venue operations. He also serves as the organization's lead global spokesperson.
Prior to joining Monumental, Mr. Jones II served as Executive Vice President and Chief Corporate Affairs Officer at Starbucks, where he oversaw global government affairs, public policy, social impact, community engagement, and international growth initiatives. Earlier, as Chief Communications and Public Affairs Officer, he led the company's worldwide communications, social media, investor relations, and brand engagement efforts. Previously, he was Chief Corporate Affairs & Communications Officer at Vanda Pharmaceuticals, where he led investor relations, government affairs, corporate development, and communications, helping drive significant growth in market capitalization and investor engagement.
Earlier in his career, Mr. Jones II held C-suite leadership roles across the private and nonprofit sectors, including managing large-scale investment portfolios and advising Fortune 500 companies. He also served in the U.S. House of Representatives, where he was the first African American Policy Director in House leadership and helped shape more than 200 pieces of legislation, including work related to the 2008 financial stabilization response. Mr. Jones II serves on numerous corporate, nonprofit, and academic boards, including Meridian International Center, and is a lecturer at Harvard University. He is a member of the Forbes Communications Council and several other leadership organizations.
Theresa Fariello, Executive Vice President, Government Affairs & Global Public Policy, United Airlines
Terri Fariello is the executive vice president of government affairs and global public policy at United. In this role, Terri leads the company’s federal, state and international government engagement, including environmental affairs. She is based in Washington, D.C. Before joining United, Terri served as vice president of Exxon Mobil Corporation’s Washington, D.C. office and led the company’s federal and state government affairs operation. In her 16-year tenure at Exxon Mobil, Terri advised the company’s senior leadership on key issues before Congress, the executive branch and state governments.
Prior to joining Exxon Mobil, Terri served as deputy assistant secretary for International Energy Policy in the Office of International Affairs at the U.S. Department of Energy and held senior leadership positions at Occidental Petroleum Corporation. She also served as a Congressional aide to two members of Congress. Throughout her career, Terri has been recognized for leadership in government relations, including being named to the Washingtonian Magazine’s list of “Most Powerful Women” and The Hill’s “Top Lobbyists.”
Terri holds an LLM in International and Comparative Law from the Georgetown University Law Center and a juris doctorate from George Mason University School of Law. She received her undergraduate degree in political science from George Washington University.Terri serves on the Board of Directors for Energy Vault, a publicly traded company. She contributes to her community by serving on the boards of a number of groups including the National Archives Foundation, Public Affairs Council, Business Council for International Understanding, the Economic Club of Washington, D.C., the Carlton Club, Ford’s Theatre, and the Humane Rescue Alliance.
Manisha Kapani, President, Kapani Family Foundation
Manisha Kapani was born in Pune, India, and immigrated to the United States with her parents in 1976. She received a Bachelor of Science from the University of Maryland and a Juris Doctorate from Syracuse University College of Law. Manisha practiced real estate law at Shulman, Rogers, et al. before retiring following the birth of her second daughter. After retiring from law, Manisha dedicated herself to philanthropic and community leadership. She chaired numerous fundraising galas for Sibley Hospital and the Meridian International Center and raised funds for the National Cathedral School.
Today, Manisha is the Co-founder and President of The Kapani Family Foundation, established in 2018. Through grants and philanthropic efforts, the Foundation strengthens social institutions focused on health, education, spiritual and civic engagement. The Foundation prioritizes institutions having an immediate, positive impact on their local communities. Beyond her leadership at the Foundation, Manisha is directly involved in governance at several institutions that impact her community. Manisha serves as a Member of the Sibley Hospital Foundation Board, Collegiate Directions Board, DC Prep Advisory Board, and sits on the Leadership Council of the Meridian International Center.
Outside Washington, DC, Manisha serves as an Ambassador for the Nantucket Cottage Hospital and actively participates in her Naples, Florida, community through her role on the Sustaining Leadership Council of the Naples Botanical Gardens.
Nick Tzitzon,Vice Chairman, ServiceNow
Nick Tzitzon has spent nearly three decades at the intersection of business, technology, and government. As Vice Chairman of enterprise AI leader ServiceNow, an S&P 100 company, he serves as senior operator and advisor to Chairman and CEO Bill McDermott and leads the company's AI Institute. He also serves on the Board of Directors of Avalara, a market leading tax compliance software company.
Throughout his career, Nick has championed workplace cultures built on ambition, empathy, and respect. He leads initiatives that destigmatize mental health at work and infuse levity into stale business environments. His leadership philosophy centers on the belief that organizational performance and human wellbeing are inseparable, and that responsible AI innovation requires both technical excellence and deep ethical commitment. Before joining ServiceNow in 2020, Nick served in executive roles at SAP SE, Europe's most valuable technology company, ultimately serving as Executive Vice President and member of the Global Leadership Team. Earlier in his career, he was a management consultant advising healthcare, energy, and public sector clients on strategy and transformation.
Nick began his career in public service, including roles at the U.S. Department of Justice's $3 billion programs division and on the staffs of two U.S. Secretaries of Health and Human Services (Tommy G. Thompson and Michael O. Leavitt), as well as Massachusetts Governors Mitt Romney and Paul Cellucci. An honors graduate of Suffolk University and United States Senate Youth Scholar, Nick is a member of the Board of Trustees of Meridian International Center, City Year, Voices for National Service, and the American Hellenic Institute. He is a below-average tennis player, an above-average food lover, and claims to have a good sense of humor.
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ABOUT MERIDIAN INTERNATIONAL CENTER
Meridian is a nonpartisan center for diplomacy founded in 1960 and headquartered on a historic campus in Washington, D.C. Our mission is to empower leaders to advance the next era of diplomacy. Our programs strengthen American leadership by accelerating collaboration on shared challenges, increasing economic competitiveness, and building geopolitical resilience. We equip leaders from business, science and technology, cities and states, culture and sports with the insights, networks, and resources to navigate a complex world.
For more information, contact Danielle Najjar at dnajjar@meridian.org.
