Breaking Al-Qaeda (PDF)

Elena Mastors, Ph.D., is the vice president and dean of Applied Research at the American Public University System (APUS). She is the former vice president and dean of the School of Security and Global Studies and program director of the Graduate Intelligence Studies and National Security programs.

Previous to her work with APUS, she was an associate professor in the National Decision Making Department of the Naval War College, and also held various senior intelligence and policy positions in the Office of Undersecretary of Defense for Intelligence and the Defense Intelligence Agency.

Dr. Mastors is an expert on political psychology as it pertains to conflict, terrorism, and political leadership. She writes frequently on understanding leaders and group dynamics from a political psychological perspective. She is also a frequent lecturer on the important role of individuals and group dynamics in armed groups.

Dr. Mastors is on the Board of Directors at the Institute for the Study of Intercommunal Conflict at Washington State University. Her professional affiliations include the International Association for Intelligence Education (IAFIE), the International Studies Association (ISA), the International Society for Political Psychology (ISPP), and Women in Security (WIS).

Dr. Mastors has published on the subjects of conflict and armed groups. Her coauthored books include Introduction to Political Psychology (Psychology Press, 2010) and The Lesser Jihad: Recruits and the Al-Qaida Network (Rowman & Littlefield, 2007).