Leland Lazarus

Founder and CEO, Lazarus Consulting, LLC

Leland Lazarus is the Founder and CEO of Lazarus Consulting LLC, where he advises companies and governments on geopolitical risks tied to China’s engagement in the Western Hemisphere. Previously, he was Associate Director of National Security at Florida International University’s Gordon Institute, where he taught U.S.-China relations, testified before Congress, and launched an AI-powered dashboard tracking Chinese activities across Latin America and the Caribbean.

From 2021 to 2022, he served as Special Assistant and Speechwriter to two four-star Commanders of U.S. Southern Command, contributing to SOUTHCOM’s counter-China strategy. A former U.S. diplomat, Leland served in China and the Caribbean, advancing American foreign policy.

Leland is Vice Chair of the Fulbright Association Board, a Council on Foreign Relations Term Member, a Public Intellectuals Program Fellow with the National Committee on U.S.-China Relations, and a nonresident fellow at the Atlantic Council’s Global China Hub. His analysis has appeared in outlets such as NBC News, the Wall Street Journal, the Washington Post, and Foreign Policy.

Fluent in Mandarin and Spanish, Leland holds degrees from Brown University and The Fletcher School, with executive certifications in AI and Blockchain from MIT. His awards include the Defense Department’s Joint Civilian Service Commendation and the State Department’s Distinguished Honor Award.