Michael McFaul is the Ken Olivier and Angela Nomellini Professor of International Studies in Political Science, Director and Senior Fellow at the Freeman Spogli Institute for International Studies, and the Peter and Helen Bing Senior Fellow at the Hoover Institution, all at Stanford University.

He is also an analyst for NBC News and a contributing columnist to The Washington Post. McFaul served for five years in the Obama administration, first as Special Assistant to the President and Senior Director for Russian and Eurasian Affairs at the National Security Council at the White House (2009-2012), and then as U.S. Ambassador to the Russian Federation (2012-2014).

He chaired together with Andrii Yermak, Head of the Office of the President of Ukraine The Yermak-McFaul International Expert Group on sanctions against Russia, which became a key platform for the formation of the sanctions policy of the allies on the aggressor country.

He received his B.A. in International Relations from Stanford University.