Pacific Council on International Policy

What Pacific Council on International Policy does

The Pacific Council on International Policy is a Los Angeles-based 501(c)(3) nonprofit membership organization founded in 1995 that convenes a network of policy professionals, corporate leaders, academics, and emerging foreign-policy talent around international affairs, with a distinctive West Coast vantage point. Its core offerings include the Pacific Council Magazine, in-person and virtual events and webinars, international delegations (notably the Armenia & Georgia delegation), and structured fellowship programs such as AMPLIFY (a 16-week program for professionals underrepresented in foreign affairs) and the Global City Fellowship Program. The organization also runs dedicated initiatives including the Mexico Initiative and the Global Water Scarcity Project.

Underlying technology is limited to a web-based content management and member engagement platform hosted at pacificcouncil.org, with supporting digital properties including a YouTube channel, LinkedIn presence, Instagram, and a digital magazine at pacificcouncil.online. The technology stack is content- and community-oriented rather than product- or AI-driven; no proprietary software, APIs, or AI systems are disclosed.

The business model is a hybrid nonprofit revenue structure combining individual membership dues (including sustaining membership at $5,000/year), tax-deductible donations at multiple tiers ($50-$1,000+, with monthly recurring options), corporate memberships and sponsorships, and event registration fees. Go-to-market is event- and community-led: the organization acquires and retains members through webinars, in-person programming, working groups, delegations, and thought-leadership content, with biweekly email newsletters and a Senior Fellows network supporting engagement. Leadership transitioned in March 2026 when Ambassador (ret.) Kristina A. Kvien became President & CEO, succeeding Dr. Jerrold D. Green after 17 years.

Name

Pacific Council on International Policy

Legal name

Pacific Council on International Policy

Website

https://pacificcouncil.org

Company type

Private

Founded year

1995

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

11–50 employees

Short description

The Pacific Council on International Policy is a Los Angeles-based 501(c)(3) nonprofit membership organization founded in 1995 that convenes policy professionals, business leaders, and emerging foreign-policy talent through events, publications, fellowships, and international delegations from a West Coast perspective.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

International Policy Think Tank Services

NAICS

Business Associations (813910), International Affairs (928120), Social Advocacy Organizations (8133)

SIC

Services-Membership Organizations (8600), International Affairs (9721)

akta.pro primary industry

International & Comparative Education Policy Organizations (EDADADAL)

akta.pro secondary industries

Protocol, State Visits & Diplomatic Events Management (BPAIAIAJ), Association & Society Conference Management (Nonprofit, Professional Bodies) (THAHACAA)

Keywords

• International policy research
• Foreign policy membership
• Nonpartisan policy forum
• Global affairs networking
• Policy fellowship programs

Headquarters

HQ city

Los Angeles

HQ country

United States

HQ region

North America

Offices1 record

Markets served

GTM type

B2B

Offering type

Services

Cost components

Personnel, Operations, Marketing or Sales, Others

Revenue model

1. Membership Dues: Annual membership fees including sustaining membership at $5,000/year which qualifies donors for the sustaining member program with exclusive benefits such as international delegation access.
2. Donations and Contributions: Tax-deductible charitable contributions to the 501(c)(3) organization. Donors at various levels receive different benefits and recognition.
3. Corporate Membership: Corporate membership program offering organizations enhanced engagement opportunities with the Pacific Council network.
4. Event Registration Fees: Revenue from event participation, including webinars and in-person programming.

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion2 records

Distribution channels4 records

Marketing channels10 records

Core offering

The Pacific Council on International Policy is a Los Angeles-based nonpartisan membership organization that convenes policy professionals, business leaders, diplomats, and academics through events, working groups, international delegations, and thought-leadership programming. It sells membership subscriptions, fellowships (AMPLIFY, Global City), regional initiatives (Mexico Initiative), and access to member-written commentary via the Pacific Council Magazine.

Product overview

Pacific Council on International Policy is a Los Angeles-based nonpartisan membership organization established in 1995 that serves as a platform for global policy engagement. The organization operates a unified portfolio of programs including the Pacific Council Magazine for member-written commentary and analysis, the AMPLIFY Fellowship Program for emerging diverse leaders in foreign affairs, the Global City Fellowship Program for subnational diplomacy, the Mexico Initiative for bilateral relations, and events/webinars featuring expert discussions on international topics. The organization also offers international delegations and maintains a membership network of global policy professionals.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Brands

• AMPLIFY Fellowship Program: A 16-week professional leadership program launched in February 2022 for early to mid-career professionals underrepresented in foreign affairs
• Global City Fellowship Program
• Mexico Initiative
• Global Water Scarcity Project

Products and services

• Pacific Council Magazine An online publication featuring member-written commentary and analysis on local-to-global topics, member spotlights, and event recaps. It is targeted at policy professionals, business leaders, and engaged global citizens who consume and contribute thought leadership on international affairs.
• AMPLIFY Fellowship Program A 16-week professional leadership fellowship for early to mid-career professionals who have been traditionally underrepresented in foreign affairs, designed to strengthen diversity in global policy. Targeted at emerging leaders seeking mentorship and project implementation experience.
• Global City Fellowship Program A fellowship program facilitating city-to-city collaboration that informs policy solutions on city leadership, global health diplomacy, trade, sustainability, and national security. Targeted at subnational diplomacy practitioners and city-level policy leaders.
• Mexico Initiative An initiative providing a distinctly West Coast perspective on U.S.-Mexico relations, promoting collaboration through events, analysis, commentary, and fostering exchange with Mexican leaders. Targeted at policy professionals, corporate leaders, and academics engaged with bilateral U.S.-Mexico affairs.
• Events and Webinars Virtual and in-person discussion events on matters of international importance, featuring expert speakers and covering topics such as security, diplomacy, trade, and environmental sustainability. Targeted at policy professionals, diplomats, academics, business leaders, and engaged members of the public.
• International Delegations Exclusive delegation trips to international locations offering high-level access to key voices and institutions, providing participants with on-the-ground perspectives on strategically significant regions such as Armenia and Georgia. Targeted at sustaining members and high-engagement participants.
• Membership Program A tiered membership program providing access to a community of thoughtful global citizens, events, activities, working groups, and opportunities for thought leadership. Includes general membership and sustaining membership ($5,000/year) tiers, plus a separate Corporate Membership program for organizations.

Quantifiable outcome

• Ambassador Kristina Kvien, former U.S. Ambassador to Armenia, leads the organization providing high-level diplomatic credibility
• +1 more outcomes

Named customers2 records

Segments3 records

Ideal customer profiles3 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Partnerships

Two partnerships are on record, tiered core and minor.

• Institute for Economics and Peace (IEP)coreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 7 July 2026IEP is the world's leading think tank dedicated to developing metrics to analyze peace and quantify its economic value, most notably through the annual Global Peace Index. The Pacific Council partners with IEP to host the annual GPI webinar presentation, examining global peacefulness and regional trends including the Middle East and North Africa.
• Spencer StuartminorOthersLeading executive search firm assisted in the recruitment efforts for the President and CEO position, resulting in the appointment of Ambassador Kristina Kvien.

Scale indicators3 records

Recent moves6 records

Expansion highlights6 records

Direct peers

• Council on Foreign Relations: The premier U.S. foreign-policy membership organization offering events, publications, and a member network. Highly comparable to the Pacific Council in mission (international affairs thought leadership) and model (membership + events + publications), though materially larger and based in New York.
• Los Angeles World Affairs Council: LA-based nonprofit membership organization that hosts speaker events, delegations, and student programs on international affairs. Directly comparable to the Pacific Council in both geography (downtown Los Angeles) and member-driven event/program model.
• Chicago Council on Global Affairs: A nonpartisan, member-based global affairs organization in Chicago that convenes leaders, produces research, and offers public programs. Closely mirrors the Pacific Council's city-based, member-driven think tank model with events, publications, and policy research.

Broad incumbents

• Atlantic Council: A major Washington-based international affairs think tank offering events, publications, and policy programs on global issues. Highly comparable in mission to the Pacific Council, though materially larger in headcount, budget, and program scope.
• Asia Society: A leading educational and policy organization focused on Asia-Pacific affairs, headquartered in New York with a strong West Coast presence. Comparable to the Pacific Council in its international-affairs focus and member/events model, with broader Asia specialization.
• World Affairs Councils of America: A national network of local world affairs councils that collectively deliver speaker events and educational programming on international issues. A comparable membership-based model in the civic international-affairs space, though it operates as an umbrella rather than a single local council.
• Brookings Institution: A leading Washington-based public policy think tank conducting in-depth research and convening events on international and domestic policy. Comparable in policy-research focus and event programming, though much larger and broader in scope.
• Woodrow Wilson International Center for Scholars: A Washington-based national policy forum that hosts scholars and convenes public events on international affairs. Comparable in convening/forum role and policy-research mission, though federally chartered and substantially larger than the Pacific Council.

Emerging players

• Middle East Institute: A Washington-based think tank dedicated to Middle East policy that convenes experts, hosts events, and publishes analysis. Comparable in membership/events/publication model and frequently co-programs with the Pacific Council (e.g., shared speakers on MENA webinars).

Others

• RAND Corporation: A major research institution headquartered in Santa Monica, CA, with deep international-affairs and policy research output. The Pacific Council's previous CEO (Dr. Green) held senior management positions at RAND, and both organizations serve the LA policy community; RAND is more research-centric, less membership-driven.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat5 records

Key risks6 records

Key highlights6 records

Customer concentration

• YouTubeyoutube.com/user/pacificcouncil
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/39432
• Instagraminstagram.com/pacificcouncil
• Xx.com/paccouncil
• Facebookfacebook.com/pacificcouncil

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles2 records

Funding overview

Funding rounds

Investors

Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

M&A

Investments

M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

Frequently asked questions about Pacific Council on International Policy