Kim Ghattas is a distinguished Lebanese journalist and author, renowned for her insightful analysis of the Middle East and U.S. foreign policy. Her career began in 1998 as an intern at The Daily Star in Beirut, where she quickly transitioned to reporting for prominent outlets like the Financial Times and the BBC. Ghattas gained international recognition for her coverage of significant events, including the 2006 war between Israel and Hezbollah, which earned her an Emmy Award for international news coverage. Her extensive experience in the region laid the groundwork for her future endeavors in journalism.

In 2008, Ghattas moved to Washington, D.C., to serve as the BBC’s State Department correspondent, where she reported on the intricacies of American foreign policy while traveling with Secretaries of State such as Condoleezza Rice and Hillary Clinton. This role culminated in her first book, “The Secretary: A Journey with Hillary Clinton from Beirut to the Heart of American Power,” which became a New York Times bestseller. The book reflects her unique perspective as a journalist from a war-torn country, providing readers with a nuanced understanding of U.S. foreign policy’s impact on the Middle East.

Ghattas’s second book, “Black Wave: Saudi Arabia, Iran, and the Forty-Year Rivalry That Unraveled Culture, Religion, and Collective Memory in the Middle East,” was recognized as one of The New York Times’ 100 Notable Books of 2020. This work synthesizes her two decades of reporting, offering a comprehensive analysis of the historical and cultural dynamics shaping the region. Currently, she is on a writing sabbatical, focusing on her next book while continuing to contribute to The Atlantic and host her podcast, “People Like Us.”

With over twenty years of experience in print and broadcast media, Ghattas has established herself as a leading voice in journalism. Her work has appeared in major publications such as The New York Times, TIME, and Foreign Policy, and she is a regular commentator on networks like CNN and NPR. As a board member of the American University of Beirut and chair of the board for ARIJ, she is dedicated to fostering investigative journalism in the Arab world, further solidifying her commitment to the field and her community.