Joseph Shelzi

Joseph Shelzi is an Analyst at The Soufan Group. He works with clients around the world, providing research and analysis on issues related to international security, conflict analysis, justice and accountability, and counterterrorism.

His areas of expertise include European security, non-state armed groups, conflict resolution efforts, climate security, and emergent threats.

Prior to joining The Soufan Group, Joseph served as a decorated U.S. Army Intelligence Officer. He has worked and led teams at the tactical and strategic levels, analyzing both conventional and asymmetric threats to U.S. Army assets and operations. While deployed to Iraq, Joseph worked closely with Iraqi security forces as an intelligence advisor and received a Bronze Star for his service there. He also served as the company commander of an intelligence collection company headquartered in Japan. Joseph also worked on alliance and security cooperation issues at the U.S. Embassy in Tokyo.

Joseph attended Columbia University’s School of International and Public Affairs (SIPA) and was awarded a Master of International Affairs degree with a concentration in International Security Policy and specializations in International Conflict Resolution and European Affairs. During his studies at SIPA, Joseph conducted in-depth research on a variety of international security topics, including Russian security policy, particularly the role of Wagner Group in Africa, international peacekeeping operations and conflict analysis, the geopolitics of energy, and cybersecurity and cyber conflict. While completing his graduate studies, Joseph worked as a Research Associate at The Soufan Center.

Joseph is a graduate of the United States Military Academy at West Point, where he earned a Bachelor of Science degree with honors in Human Geography. While completing his undergraduate thesis he conducted field research on the outskirts of Dakar, Senegal, studying the impacts of rapid urbanization on the physical and cultural landscape.