MALIBU—On Tuesday, July 26, Pepperdine School of Public Policy Named former U.S. Ambassador and the 27th National Security Advisor (NSA) Robert C. O’Brien as Senior Fellow.

In a press release from Pepperdine, the school reported that O’Brien was recognized as one of America’s leading Diplomats and National Security experts. He was the U.S. alternate to the 60th session of the United Nations General Assembly and a Major in the U.S. Army Reserve JAG Corps. He earned his BA from the University of California, Los Angeles (cum laude) and his Juris doctorate from the University of California, Berkeley School of Law.

O’Brien is the recipient of the National Security Medal, the National Intelligence Distinguished Service Medal, the Department of Defense Medal for Distinguished Public Service, the National Defense Service Medal, and the Legion d’honneur (chevalier), and the Kosovo Presidential Medal of Merits. The National Museum of the Surface Navy named him the recipient of the 2021 Freedom of the Seas Award. Following the signing of the Abraham Accords in 2020, a tree was planted by the State of Israel at the John F. Kennedy Memorial Forest in the Hills of Jerusalem in honor of O’Brien.

In 2019, he received Dr. Miriam and Sheldon Adelson Award for the Defense of America and Israel. The UC-Berkeley School of Law presented O’Brien with the Stefan A. Riesenfeld Memorial Award for outstanding contributions to the field of international law in 2011. The Los Angeles Business Journal named O’Brien one of the 500 most influential people in Los Angeles.

“He played a critical role in the signing of the Abraham Accords in the Middle East and led important efforts to build relationships with America’s allies in the Indo-Pacific region. Before assuming the role as NSA, O’Brien was the special presidential envoy for hostage affairs and brought more than 25 hostages and wrongfully detained Americans home. O’Brien is acknowledged as a preeminent negotiator and mediator in some of the world’s most contentious places,” reads the press release.

“As we continue to grow our academic programs in national security and international relations both here in Malibu and in Washington, DC, we’re honored to have Ambassador O’Brien join us as a distinguished senior fellow, and I look forward to working with him. As a preeminent peacemaker who is committed to strengthening America’s unique role in the world, he sets an important example for our graduate students as they begin their careers in the foreign affairs and intelligence arenas,” said Pepperdine Dean, Pete Peterson while speaking about O’Brien.