Jonathan Abels
Managing Director
jabels@duke.eduFedEx Global Education Center – Room 1206
Rubenstein Hall – Room 266
919-843-2792, 919-613-9230
Professional Background
Jon Abels is the managing director of the Duke-UNC Rotary Peace Center and also serves as the executive director of the Duke Center for International Development (DCID), at the Sanford School of Public Policy at Duke University. DCID serves as the administrative home for the Rotary Peace Center on Duke’s campus. Jon was part of the team that drafted the proposal for Duke and UNC to co-host the center more than 25 years ago. Since then, he has served on the center’s advisory board and worked closely with the center staff and numerous Duke and UNC faculty directors as the center has evolved and matured. He is excited to take on this new role to work with the peace fellows and faculty. Over the years, his other responsibilities at DCID have included administrative oversight of the Master of International Development Policy (MIDP) program, executive education, and overseas advisory and consulting services. In addition, he coordinated the preparation of the center’s technical assistance projects and was responsible for the design and management of the center’s new initiatives. He recently co-designed and co-directed the Leadership for Development Program for young civic leaders from the Middle East and North Africa region (MENA) for the US Department of State from 2018 to 2024. Jon earned a master’s degree from Duke University before joining DCID.