Rashad Hussain is Senior Counsel at the Department of Justice’s National Security Division. He previously served as President Obama’s Special Envoy to the Organization of Islamic Cooperation (OIC), US Special Envoy for Strategic Counterterrorism Communications, and as Deputy Associate White House Counsel. In his role as OIC Envoy, Professor Hussain helped develop U.S policy and deepen and expand partnerships with Muslim-majority countries, civil society organizations, and the OIC, the world’s second largest multilateral organization after the UN. As Special Envoy for Strategic Counterterrorism Communications, Professor Hussain led an inter-agency body that worked with international partners to amplify credible narratives in countering terrorist propaganda.
Professor Hussain received his J.D. from Yale Law School, where he served as an editor of the Yale Law Journal. Professor Hussain also earned his Master’s degrees in Public Administration (Kennedy School of Government) and Arabic and Islamic Studies from Harvard University. In January 2013, Professor Hussain received the Distinguished Honor Award which is given for “exceptionally outstanding service to the agencies of the U.S. Government resulting in achievements of marked national or international significance.” Upon appointing Professor Hussain, President Obama stated, “an an accomplished lawyer and trusted member of my White House staff, Rashad had played a key role in developing he partnerships I called for in Cairo, and as a Hafiz of the Qur’an, he is a respected member of the American Muslim community, and I thank him for carrying forward this important work.”
