MPF MISSION

Since its founding in 2008 by Ambassador Michael Sheehan and Mr. Vincent Viola, the Madison Policy Forum’s (MPF) mission has been to advance rigorous, nonpartisan policy reviews of key national security issues.  In the tradition of our fourth President, James Madison, MPF’s goal is to promote informed public discussion, which he considered a critical component of an effective democracy.  

History

The Madison Policy Forum achieves its mission by convening forums, hosting conferences, and sponsoring fellowships focusing on critical national security issues facing our nation.  From 2008 until 2012, MPF was focused on three main areas: terrorism, intelligence, and cyber threats.  During this period, MPF conducted a series of forums focused on these topics both in New York City and at West Point.

Starting in 2012, MPF began to focus more on cyber security issues while simultaneously building a deeper partnership with Fordham University’s Center on National Security.  The MPF Military-Business Cybersecurity Fellowship (originally “Military Business Dialogue”) has developed into a network of national thought leaders on cybersecurity.   

MPF also embarked upon a review of US and global energy. The purpose of the study is to provide unbiased data about the trends in the principle energy sectors, their respective subsidies and CO2 emissions. It reviews key countries including the US, EU, Germany, China and India and various states within the US with divergent energy plans. Our intent is to provide clear and contextualized data to inform energy policy and gain public support.  

Most recently, MPF has focused on the challenges of terrorism and urban warfare. In 2021, the MPF produced the Routledge Handbook of U.S. Counterterrorism and Irregular Warfare Operations (published by Routledge) and is producing the book Understanding Urban Warfare, which is expected to be published by Howgate later this year.

LEADERSHIP

Liam Collins, Executive Director

Colonel (ret.) Liam Collins was a career Special Forces officer who served in a variety of special operations assignments. He conducted multiple operational deployments in support of various operations including Operational Nobile Anvil (Kosovo), Operation Joint Forge (Bosnia), Operation Enduring Freedom (Afghanistan), Operation Iraqi Freedom as well as operational deployments to South America and the Horn of Africa. Previously he served as the Director of the Modern War Institute and Director of the Combating Terrorism Center at West Point, and from 2016-2018, he served as General (ret.) Abizaid’s executive officer for his Secretary of Defense appointment as the Senior Defense Advisor to Ukraine.

His work has been cited by the Assistant to the President for Homeland Security and Counterterrorism, the White House Press Secretary, The New York Times, the Associated Press, CNN, ABC News, Fox News, NPR, The Wall Street Journal and USA Today. He holds a Bachelor of Science degree in Mechanical Engineering (Aerospace) from the United States Military Academy and a Master in Public Affairs and a PhD from Princeton University’s Woodrow Wilson School of Public and International Affairs. He is a permanent member of the Council on Foreign Relations.

John Spencer, Chair of Urban Warfare Studies

John W. Spencer currently serves as the Chair of Urban Warfare Studies where he leads all research relating to understanding the many facets of urban warfare.

He recently served as the Chair of Urban Warfare Studies, Co-Director of the Urban Warfare Project and host of the Urban Warfare Project podcast for the Modern War Institute at West Point. He also previously served as a Colonel in the California State Guard with assignment to the 40th Infantry Division, California Army National Guard as the Director of Urban Warfare Training. He served over twenty-five years on active duty in the Army as an infantry soldier having held ranks from Private to Sergeant First Class and Second Lieutenant to Major.

His assignments as an Army officer included two combat deployments to Iraq as both an Infantry Platoon Leader and Company Commander, a Ranger Instructor with the Army’s Ranger School, a Joint Chief of Staff and Army Staff intern, fellow with the Chief of Staff of the Army’s Strategic Studies Group, Strategic Planner and then Deputy Director of the Modern War Institute where he was instrumental in the design and formation of the institute.

His research focuses on military operations in dense urban areas, megacities, urban and subterranean warfare.

He holds a Master of Policy Management from Georgetown University.

He looks forward to connecting via Twitter @SpencerGuard.