David Sklar is the Founder and Executive Director of the Middle East Minorities Institute. His career has focused on advancing the rights, security, and dignity of religious and ethnic minorities in the Middle East, combining policy expertise, strategic communications, and organizational leadership in complex and high-risk environments.

He previously served as the inaugural Board Chair of the Free Yezidi Foundation, established in the aftermath of the Yezidi Genocide perpetrated by ISIS in Iraq and Syria. Sklar played a central role in building the organization from a start-up into a leading institution supporting Yezidi recovery, helping secure funding from governments and major foundations. He contributed to FYF’s programs to support Yezidi recovery, including efforts to document ISIS crimes and support prosecutions through evidence collection and analysis. He continues to serve as a strategic advisor to the organization.

Earlier in his career, Sklar served as an advisor and speechwriter to the Prime Minister of the Kurdistan Regional Government of Iraq. He advised the KRG Prime Minister and Foreign Minister on strategic communications, international outreach, and foreign policy. He worked closely with the Government Spokesperson on public messaging and media engagement, departing the Kurdistan Regional Government in late 2014, shortly after the Yezidi Genocide.

Sklar has worked with civil society organizations, institutions, and policy leaders on program implementation, communications, and advocacy. He has contributed to speeches, publications, and commentary pieces on Middle East affairs and minority rights. His most recent opinion piece was published in The Hill, and his latest peer-reviewed journal article was published in Theoria.

Sklar graduated cum laude with a bachelor’s degree in physics from the University of Connecticut and holds a master’s degree with distinction in politics and international studies from the University of Cambridge. He is currently a visiting fellow at Stanford University’s Hoover Institution.