Arlington, VA

On Wednesday, the CNA Board of Trustees honored Dmitry Gorenburg, one of the nation's foremost Russian military scholars, as the winner of the 2024 CNA Trustees Award. Since joining CNA in 2000, Gorenburg’s analytical excellence has drawn many Russian scholars to work at CNA, building CNA Russia Studies into a trusted source of deep insights into the Russian military. 

This award is given to a CNA employee who embodies the values of CNA and whose contributions advance CNA's mission: the safety and security of the nation. Gorenburg has built and maintained key relationships within the Russian community, created understanding, and conducted high-quality research that has been crucial to national security. His reports on Russian military reform and analyses of the Russian Navy are widely cited and deeply influential. 

“I am grateful to everyone who was involved in the decision to give me the great and unexpected honor of this award,” said Gorenburg. “I am honored to be a part of CNA's Russia Studies Program, which is widely recognized as the leading non-government center for the analysis of the Russian military in the US. I have relished this opportunity to work at CNA for the past 25 years and look forward to many more years working together.”  

The Trustees Award was presented by Linda Petrone, trustee and chair of the awards subcommittee, who said, “His courage and tenacity to hold and even deepen the focus on Russia, while so many shifted away from it, not only prevented what could have been an insurmountable gap, but positioned CNA to lead and deliver trademark, high-quality analysis when the focus inevitably shifted back to the Russia problem.” 

“Dmitry’s decades-long scholarship and overall contributions to understanding Russia and its military have made us all safer and more secure,” said Julia McQuaid, vice president of the Strategy, Policy, Plans, and Programs Division. “Anyone who has worked with him will tell you that he is brilliant, a consummate team player, a diligent mentor and teacher, and one of the nicest guys you’ll ever meet.”