United States Agency for Global Media

Victoria Coates joins U.S. international broadcasting as President of MBN

December 22, 2020

Washington, D.C. — Michael Pack, CEO of the U.S. Agency for Global Media (USAGM), today announced that Victoria Coates will be the next President of the Middle East Broadcasting Networks (MBN). Headquartered in Springfield, Virginia, MBN is an Arabic-language news organization that reaches a weekly audience of 25.7 million people in 22 countries in the Middle East and North Africa.

“I am pleased that Victoria has accepted this appointment,” said CEO Pack. “She brings deep knowledge of the region, extensive government experience, and a robust commitment to the values of objective journalism and the mission of promoting freedom and democracy.”

“Information warfare is one of the critical 21st century challenges our nation faces, and the Middle East/North Africa is a key region for this competition,” said Dr. Coates. “MBN is a beacon of truth and transparency in a frequently crowded and conflicted space, and I am honored to accept this opportunity to lead our efforts to both combat misinformation campaigns and promote American leadership and values. I am also delighted to continue working closely with the many partners and allies in the region with whom I have collaborated at both the NSC and the Department of Energy in this new role.”

Dr. Coates has shaped public policy from both the Congress and the White House, as well as guided multinational collaboration in the areas of U.S. national security and energy policy. Most recently, she served as Senior Policy Advisor in the U.S. Department of Energy’s Office of the Secretary, advising Secretary Dan Brouillette on national security issues and acting as his representative in the Middle East and North Africa. She has further served as Deputy Assistant to the President of the United States, Deputy National Security Advisor for Middle Eastern and North African Affairs on the National Security Council staff, and Senior Advisor for National Security to Senator Ted Cruz.

Dr. Coates is also a published author and an established scholar in Renaissance art history. She has taught and curated exhibitions at a number of eminent institutions, including the University of Pennsylvania. She earned her Ph.D. from the University of Pennsylvania, MA from Williams College, and BA from Trinity College in Hartford, Connecticut.

MBN is a non-federal network funded by Congress through USAGM. Its mission is to provide objective, accurate, and relevant news and information to the people of the Middle East about the region, the world, and the United States. The network supports democratic values by expanding the spectrum of ideas, opinions, and perspectives available in the region’s media.

Kelley Sullivan, who was serving as MBN’s Acting President, will return to her previous role as the network’s Vice President.