Dennis Ross served in senior national security positions as a political appointee for Ronald Reagan, George H.W. Bush, Bill Clinton, and Barack Obama. He played a prominent role in shaping American policy toward the former Soviet Union, working out German unification in NATO, developing the Gulf War coalition, putting together the Madrid Peace Conference, negotiating between Arabs and Israelis as the chief American envoy, and later helping to formulate American approaches toward Iran. After his formal governmental stints, he has been an active participant in track two diplomatic efforts and discussions. He is a frequent commentator in the media on the Middle East and other international hotspots. Ross is presently the Davidson Distinguished Fellow at the Washington Institute for Near East Policy and a Distinguished Professor in the Practice of Diplomacy at Georgetown University.