Leland Lazarus

Leland Lazarus
Lazarus Consulting LLC

Leland Lazarus is the Founder and CEO of Lazarus Consulting LLC, advising companies and governments on navigating geopolitical risks around China’s engagement in the Western Hemisphere. He previously served as Associate Director of National Security at Florida International University’s Gordon Institute of Public Policy. At FIU, he taught U.S.-China relations and Chinese foreign policy, testified before Congress about China’s national security threats, spearheaded institutional partnerships with Taiwanese universities and CMA CGM–a global shipping company–and led the role out of an AI-powered dashboard tracking Chinese activities in the Western Hemisphere used by government officials, diplomats, and journalists.

From 2021 to 2022, Leland served as the Special Assistant and Speechwriter to two four-star Commanders of U.S. Southern Command (Department of Defense), where he advised on SOUTHCOM’s counter-China strategy. Leland was also a State Department diplomat in China and the Caribbean, representing U.S. interests overseas.

As Vice Chair of the Fulbright Association’s Board of Directors, Leland helps guide national programs that enhance international education and collaboration. He is a Council on Foreign Relations Term Member, a Member of the National Committee on US-China Relations Public Intellectuals Program, and a nonresident fellow at the Atlantic Council’s Global China Hub. His articles and commentary have appeared in NBC News, The Wall Street Journal, The Washington Post, Univision, Telemundo, The Miami Herald, Foreign Policy Magazine, and various international outlets.

Throughout his career, Leland has received recognitions such as being selected for the 2023 International Career Advancement Program and the 2022 Center for a New American Security Shawn Brimley Next Generation National Security Leaders Program. He also received awards such as the Defense Department Joint Civilian Service Commendation Award, and the State Department Distinguished Honor Award.

Fluent in both Mandarin and Spanish, He holds an M.A. in U.S.-China Foreign Policy at the Fletcher School of Law and Diplomacy, a B.A. in International Relations at Brown University, and Executive Certificates in Artificial Intelligence and Blockchain Technologies from the MIT Sloan School of Management.