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Joan Rohlfing

President and Chief Operating Office of Nuclear Threat Initiative

Joan Rohlfing is the President and Chief Operating Officer (COO) of the Nuclear Threat Initiative (NTI), a non-profit, non-partisan global security organization.12367 NTI focuses on reducing nuclear, biological, and emerging technology threats to humanity.256 Rohlfing manages all NTI programs.3

Background and Experience::

  • Before joining NTI, Rohlfing held senior positions in the U.S. Department of Energy.6
  • She served as an advisor to the U.S. Ambassador to India following nuclear tests in India and Pakistan.6
  • Earlier in her career, she oversaw nuclear weapons policy and acquisition programs at the Department of Defense and the Armed Services Committee of the U.S. House of Representatives.6
  • Rohlfing has worked in the nuclear security field for 35 years from military, diplomatic, political, technical, and academic perspectives.6

Views on Nuclear Deterrence::

  • Rohlfing argues that the world should free itself from "the straightjacket of nuclear deterrence," which she sees as a dangerous and outdated concept that does not address today's complex systems.1
  • She believes nuclear deterrence is an insufficient strategy for preventing the use of nuclear weapons, as it doesn't account for mistakes, misperceptions, accidents, cyber exploits, technical failures, or false warnings.1
  • Rohlfing highlights the risk of human error and the potential for civilization-altering decisions to be made with incomplete or incorrect information due to the speed of modern nuclear delivery systems.1
  • She emphasizes that the risk of nuclear use is currently very high.6

NTI's Work::

  • NTI was founded in 2001 by former U.S. Senator Sam Nunn and philanthropist Ted Turner.2
  • NTI aims to drive systemic change by galvanizing large-scale institutional adoption of innovative global security practices and programs.6
  • NTI has four policy programs: the Global Nuclear Policy Program, Nuclear Materials Security, Emerging Tech, and Global Biological Policy and Programs.2
  • NTI collaborates with governments and organizations to raise awareness, advocate, and implement creative solutions.5

Other Activities::

  • Rohlfing has been featured in The New York Times discussing neuroscience and nuclear decision-making.4
  • She contributed to a Cambridge University journal, Ethics & International Affairs, arguing for a new strategy to protect humanity from existential risk.1

Highlights

Jan 9 · nti.org
Fostering Nuclear Security Leadership and Innovation
Aug 22 · nti.org
NTI President Joan Rohlfing Talks Neuroscience and Nuclear War ...
NTI President Joan Rohlfing Talks Neuroscience and Nuclear War ...
Apr 25 · nti.org
Joan Rohlfing on “The Myth of 'Just' Nuclear Deterrence.”
AMA: Joan Rohlfing, President and COO of the Nuclear Threat ...
Mar 6 · docs.house.gov
[PDF] Ms. Joan Rohlfing
Mar 6 · nti.org
NTI President Joan Rohlfing on Deterrence Policy and Nuclear ...
Apr 30 · en.wikipedia.org
Nuclear Threat Initiative - Wikipedia

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Joan Rohlfing
Joan Rohlfing, photo 1
Joan Rohlfing, photo 2
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Location

Washington, District Of Columbia