Celina Realuyo
Celina Realuyo is Professor of Practice at the William J. Perry Center for Hemispheric Defense Studies at the National Defense University where she focuses on U.S. national security, illicit networks, transnational organized crime, counterterrorism, cybersecurity, and counter threat finance issues. As a former U.S. diplomat, international banker with Goldman Sachs, State Department Director of Counterterrorism Finance Programs, consultant and professor at the National Defense, George Washington and Joint Special Operations Universities, she has over two decades of international experience in the public, private and academic sectors. Professor Realuyo testifies regularly before Congress on national security, foreign policy, terrorism and crime issues and is a frequent commentator on global affairs for CNN en Español, Foreign Policy, Reuters and Univision.
Throughout her career, Professor Realuyo has been a trusted strategic advisor to the most senior leaders in U.S. government, military, business, and academic circles on international issues. As a professor of national security at the National Defense University since 2007, she has educated hundreds of top U.S. and foreign military and civilian leaders. In the wake of the September 11, 2001 attacks, she returned to government service to apply her international banking skills to the financial front of the war on terror in the U.S. Secretary of State’s Office of the Coordinator for Counterterrorism in Washington, D.C. Prior to returning to Washington, Professor Realuyo was a private banker in London with Goldman Sachs International advising the most prominent families in the world. Previously, she had a distinguished career as a U.S. Foreign Service Officer serving as a political officer abroad in Madrid, Panama and the U.S. Mission to NATO, Brussels. In Washington, she served at the highest levels of government, in the State Department Operations Center, National Security Council’s White House Situation Room, and as Special Assistant to the Secretary of State.
She is a graduate of the Harvard Business School, Johns Hopkins University School of Advanced International Studies (SAIS), L’Institut d’Etudes Politiques and Georgetown University School of Foreign Service. She is a member of the Council on Foreign Relations, International Institute for Strategic Studies and Women in International Security. She has been decorated twice by the Colombian government with the Colombian War College (ESDEGUE) Military Medal and Colombian Armed Forces Faith in the Cause Medal. In 2024, the Guatemalan Ministry of Defense decorated her with the “White Nun” Medal (Second Class) for her distinguished support of Guatemalan defense and security matters during the past decade. Professor Realuyo has traveled to over 70 countries and speaks English, French, and Spanish fluently, and is conversant in Italian, German, and Portuguese. career to strengthening relations between the United States and Africa, including Commander of the National Order of Mali, Commander of the National Order of Burkina Faso, Officer of the National Order of Merit of Niger, Commander of the National Order of Merit of Gabon, and Commander of the Order of Friendship of Peoples of Burundi.