Nonresident Fellow

Colonel Matthew Kopp is an Army Officer with 28 years of federal service. He is the Director for US Army Security Cooperation with African Land Forces at the US Army headquarters responsible for relationships with African land forces. He is also an Andrew Goodpaster Fellow at the School of Advanced Military Studies. His research and policy interests include human rights, civil war termination, military education and training, and security assistance.Previously, he led the Kenya-United States Liaison/Security Cooperation Office at the US Embassy in Kenya. He was Director of South America Political-Military Affairs at the US Southern Command, a Program Manager at the US Embassy in Guatemala, and an Explosive Ordnance Disposal Officer. Colonel Kopp has lived and worked on five continents in his career to include three tours leading counter IED forces in Iraq, work with East African militaries to enhance institutional capacity, and work in Colombia advising the Ministry of Defense on the demobilization, disarmament and reintegration of the FARC after 50 years of conflict. He has served as an Elected Member and President of a school district board of education and as a Sexual Assault Victim Advocate.

Colonel Kopp holds a PhD in Political Science and International Affairs from the University of Georgia, an MA in Security Studies from the Naval Postgraduate School, a graduate diploma in Strategic Studies from the Guatemalan War College, and a BA in History from the University of Florida.