Kristina Biyad is the Executive Director of the American Committee for Middle East Rights (ACMER), where she leads the organization’s strategic vision, policy agenda, and political engagement efforts to advance rights-based U.S. policy towards the Middle East and North Africa.

Prior to joining ACMER, Kristina served as the Senior Director of Outreach at Foreign Policy for America (FP4A), working to advance principled and values-based U.S. foreign policy. Kristina joined FP4A in 2019 and later served as Acting Executive Director from November 2024 – February 2025. In 2020, she launched Foreign Policy for America Foundation’s Intermestic Policy Initiative, partnering with local stakeholders across the country to explore issues that crosscut the traditional boundaries of foreign and domestic policy.

Kristina previously worked as the Program Specialist for the Bridging the Gap Project (BTG), supporting international relations scholars and the broader foreign policy community in developing policy-relevant academic research. She also worked as an Officer with the International Association of Women Judges (IAWJ) countering gender-based violence in North Africa, and has held positions with Share Our Strength No Kid Hungry and the Foreign and Commonwealth Office of the British Embassy.

She is the co-founder and former co-chair of Women of Color Advancing Peace & Security (WCAPS) Southwest Asia & North Africa Working Group and a 2021 Political Partner with the Truman National Security Project. Kristina is listed on the 2021 Arab America Foundation 30 Under 30 List and the Center for Strategic & International Studies (CSIS) & Diversity in National Security Network (DINSN) 2021 U.S. National Security & Foreign Affairs Leadership List.

She earned an M.A. in International Affairs from American University School of International Service, where she received the Dean’s Award for Outstanding Service to the Campus Community. She holds dual B.A. degrees in Political Science and Economics from Roger Williams University.