Emerita Torres

Emerita Torres

2019 Ricardo Salinas Scholar, Ricardo Salinas Scholarship

Emerita Torres is a Research Fellow at the Soufan Center.

Emerita Torres is a Research Fellow at the Soufan Center.  She recently served as a U.S. Foreign Service Officer coordinating foreign policy for the Department of State.  Her diplomatic tours include Brazil, Pakistan, Colombia, Washington D.C. and the U.S. Mission to the United Nations over her 10 year career with the Department of State.  Her expertise includes counterterrorism, human rights, transnational organized crime and UN peacekeeping.  Emerita has received numerous State Department awards for meritorious service.  Working against the systems that perpetuate poverty and discrimination has been a constant theme in Emerita’s career, notably her advocacy for Afro-descendants, indigenous communities, labor movements and women abroad.  Emerita is a New Leaders Council fellow and Council on Foreign Relations term member.  She is a graduate of New York University and the Harvard Kennedy School. Emerita is also an Associate Board Member for the Women’s Housing and Economic Development Corporation and I Challenge Myself – two community development organizations serving children and families in the South Bronx and across NYC.  Emerita is a proud native of the Bronx, New York. Selected to participate in 2019 Security Forum.