Kurt Amend
Director for Afghanistan, National Security Council

Kurt E. Amend has been assigned to the White House as the Director for Afghanistan at the National Security Council since May 2005. An FS-01 Foreign Service Officer, he is on detail from the U.S. Department of State.

Mr. Amend joined the Foreign Service in April 1988. He has served in India (1989-1991; 2000-2002), Saudi Arabia (1991-1992; 1995-1997), Tajikistan (1992-1994), Kosovo (1993), Pakistan (1997-2000), and Afghanistan (2002-2003). From 2003-2005 he worked on U.S. strategy and policy in Afghanistan in the Office of the Secretary of Defense, U.S. Department of Defense.

Mr. Amend received his B.A. from Lawrence University, Appleton, Wisconsin, and his J.D. from the State University of New York at Buffalo School of Law. Prior to joining the Foreign Service, Mr Amend practiced corporate and securities law with private firms in New Jersey. He is a member of the New Jersey State Bar Association.

Mr. Amend's languages include German, Russian, Hindi, Urdu, and Arabic. He is a native of Cedar Falls, Iowa.