Ned Hodgman has been executive director of Understanding Government since March 2007. He received his A.B. in Russian and Soviet Studies from Harvard College and his Ph.D in American history from the University of Rochester. Before joining Understanding Government, Ned was involved for many years in U.S.-Russian affairs, working in philanthropy, cultural and scientific exchanges, market research, and manufacturing. He took part in groundbreaking projects including a joint U.S.-Soviet effort to demonstrate the verifiability of underground nuclear tests, and the first visit by freely-elected Soviet legislators to the U.S. Congress. Ned has previously worked for the Federation of American Scientists, the Natural Resources Defense Council, IREX, MASMI Research, and Markit Inc. His Ph.D dissertation was on the role of human rights in U.S. foreign policy during the Cold War, focusing on cooperation between the U.S. and Soviet human rights communities.