Dr. Downie presenting DASD Mora with a Distinguished Member certificate

On January 17, 2013, outgoing DASD Frank O. Mora participated in the Colleagues for the Americas event at the Institute for National Strategic Studies, after which he was honored by CHDS Director Richard Downie for his friendship and service to the center. Downie presented Mora with a certificate attesting that Mora demonstrated exemplary support and exceptional guidance to the Center and naming him a Distinguished Member of CHDS.

After three and a half years as the Deputy Assistant Secretary of Defense for Policy in charge of Western Hemisphere Affairs, Dr. Mora will assume the position of Director of the Latin American and Caribbean Center at Florida International University (FIU) in Miami, FL.

Throughout his tenure in the Office of the Secretary of Defense, Dr. Mora has helped implement policy on a broad range of issues. Dr. Mora served during the coordination a US response to the devastating January 2010 earthquake in Haiti as well as the Obama decision to lift travel restrictions to Cuba. Dr. Mora has also been an important supporter and friend to the Center for Hemispheric Defense Studies, providing valuable guidance and feedback on the many activities underway at CHDS.

Dr. Mora brings to FIU not only a wealth of policy-practitioner experience, but also an impressive academic pedigree; he received his Bachelor’s Degree from George Washington University in DC, and both his Master’s and Doctorate Degrees from the University of Miami. FIU is lucky to have Dr. Mora, and the faculty and staff at CHDS commend him on his new position.