Jonathan Schroden, Ph.D.

Dr. Jonathan Schroden is the chief research officer at CNA, overseeing the life cycle of research quality excellence, our independent research program, research publications, editing, human subjects research compliance, and research modernization and data governance. His previous leadership roles at CNA include acting vice president of the Strategy, Policy, Plans, and Programs Division, director of the Countering Threats and Challenges Program, and director of the Special Operations Research Program. Most recently he served as research director for the Afghanistan War Commission, established by the US Congress.

A CNA analyst since 2003, Dr. Schroden’s research has focused on strategic competition, irregular warfare, Marine Corps and special operations, force design, and strategic and operational assessments. In support of the Department of Defense, he deployed or traveled to Afghanistan 13 times and was a strategic advisor to the International Security Assistance Force, as well as Central Command. He also deployed twice to Al Anbar, Iraq, and served as a strategic advisor to the II Marine Expeditionary Force in Iraq. In other field work for CNA, he has traveled throughout the Middle East, served as an analyst aboard numerous US Navy ships, and supported Hurricane Katrina disaster relief operations. He was also CNA’s first interim advisor to Marine Corps Special Operations Command.

In addition to his work at CNA, he is a non-resident senior fellow at the University of South Florida’s Global and National Security Institute and a senior advisor to the Global SOF Foundation.

Dr. Schroden holds a Ph.D. and a Master of Science from Cornell University—where he received the Tunis Wentink Award—and a Bachelor of Science from the University of Minnesota Duluth, where he was inducted into the Academy of Science and Engineering. CNA has honored him with the Phil E. DePoy Award for Analytical Excellence.