James holds an M.A. in Public Diplomacy and Global Communications from Syracuse University, a joint program between the S.I. Newhouse School of Public Communications and the Maxwell School of Citizenship and Public Affairs. He also earned a B.A. in Political Science with a concentration in Security Studies and a minor in Applied Data Analytics from Syracuse University.

He is proficient in media relations platforms such as Muck Rack, Meltwater, and HubSpot, and brings technical fluency in Salesforce, Adobe Creative Suite, and HTML. James brings a strategic, analytical, and globally informed perspective to advancing communications and public affairs goals in complex and fast-moving environments.

James E. Roberts

Public Diplomacy & Strategic Communications Professional

James E. Roberts is a communications and public diplomacy professional with experience at the intersection of strategic messaging, international relations, and media engagement. Based in Arlington, Virginia, James currently serves as an External Relations Intern at the Center for Strategic and International Studies (CSIS), where he supports high-impact communication initiatives such as daily newsletters, video content for social platforms, and outreach for executive-level events and research publications. He plays a key role in media engagement and analytics, helping shape nonpartisan narratives around complex policy issues.

James has previously held roles at Original Strategies, where he supported public affairs campaigns with earned media strategies and policy tracking, and at the Meridian International Center’s Center for Corporate Diplomacy, where he facilitated executive dialogues and conducted research on economic diplomacy and international business relations. His earlier experience as Assistant Coordinator for the Program for the Advancement of Research into Conflict and Collaboration strengthened his background in cross-functional collaboration, academic research, and conflict resolution training.

Artwork

James predominantly produces watercolor paintings, but his pieces range through a number of mediums including graphite, colored pencil and charcoal.