Jonathan Welch is a policy researcher at RAND. He works on a broad range of national security topics. His areas of expertise include maritime operations, joint operations, information operations, security cooperation, wargaming, and talent management. He has co-authored dozens of reports and led numerous wargames, workshops, and planning exercises with myriad sponsors across the national security establishment. His latest interests include the application of AI to national security and whole of government competition.
Before joining RAND, he served on active duty in the United States Marine Corps (USMC). In that capacity, he deployed to Iraq in infantry and advisor roles, trained new officers, and served as an aide-de-camp. He then transitioned to the USMC Reserves, where he trained advisors, led USMC information operations in Europe and Africa, served as a planner for the Indo-Pacific region, and helped stand up the novel Marine Innovation Unit. He is currently assigned, in a reserve capacity, to Headquarters Marine Corps, Plans and Strategy.
Welch holds a Bachelor of Engineering in marine engineering from the State University of New York Maritime College and a Master of Arts in international relations and international economics from Johns Hopkins University School of Advanced International Studies. He is currently an inaugural AI & National Security Convergence Fellow with the Council on Strategic Risk.
M.A. in international relations and international economics, Johns Hopkins University School of Advanced International Studies; B.E. in marine engineering, State University of New York Maritime College
