Mr. Fariz Ismailzade is Director of Advanced Foreign Service Program (AFSP) at the Azerbaijan Diplomatic Academy. In addition to moderating the ADA Majlis, he has also been a moderator of ADA Debates, a monthly series aimed at training debating skills.
Prior joining ADA , Mr. Ismailzade has worked 10 years in NGO sector in Azerbaijan. His most recent position in the NGO sector was Director of Political Programs at the International Republican Institute.
Mr. Ismailzade has done extensive research at the Center for Strategic and International Studies in Washington, D.C. His research interests include political affairs in the Caucasus and Central Asia, energy security, and development. He has presented papers at the symposiums at Heritage Foundation, MGIMO, Columbia University, Stanford University, Fletcher School of Law and Diplomacy, UCLA, Vienna Diplomatic Academy as well as at international conferences such as Association for Study of Nationalities (ASN), Wilton Park Conferences, Middle East Studies Association (MESA) and NATO Advanced Research Workshop in Kiev.
Since 2006, he has been a recipient of the International Policy Fellowship Research Award. in 2009 he was selected to be a fellow at Stanford University's Summer Program on Democracy and Development. Mr. Ismailzade has regularly published with Eurasianet.org, Transitions on Line, Jamestown Daily Monitor and Central Asia-Caucasus Analyst, Institute for War and Peace Report, East-West Institute, Analysis of Current Events, Freedom House and Caucasus Context.
Mr. Ismailzade holds a Masters Degree in Social and Economic Development from Washington University in St. Louis, and a BA in Political Science from Western University in Baku with one-year interim studies at Wesleyan University in Connecticut.
