Laura Ballman
Informed by a unique career at the intersection of intelligence, geopolitics, and the artworld, Laura Ballman is a Washington-based consultant who leads complex international strategies, operations and relationships, for private- and public-sector clients. In 2019 she founded Capital Art Strategies to support diverse entities including, among others:
Atlantic Contemporary, a transatlantic art finance entity
A private non-partisan family foundation
The Reba E. Fern family art collection
The U.S. Department of State’s Art in Embassies Program
Previously, Laura ran Deloitte’s U.S. Art & Finance practice after serving nearly two decades as a U.S. intelligence officer, first as an overseas CIA clandestine operations officer and later as a counterintelligence division chief for the Department of Energy and National Laboratories Complex. She also served a tour leading intelligence for the FBI’s international Art Crime Team, which investigates felony art forgeries, thefts, smuggling, and illegal financial schemes. Laura started her career as a journalist, working for CNN, Newsweek, the Associated Press, and The Economist.
Laura holds an MA in International Affairs (with honors) from Columbia University’s School of International and Public Affairs and an MA in Art Business from Sotheby's Institute of Art. She also holds a BA in History (with honors) from the University of Minnesota.
She is a frequent geopolitical commentator whose recent public engagements include:
Appearing on Banfield discussing a US-Russian prisoner swap Banfield
Appearing on CNN New Day calling for greater White House action to protect Ukrainian cultural heritage
Authoring a Foreign Policy op-ed about Russia’s targeting of Ukrainian cultural heritage:
Speaking on a Center for New American Security panel regarding the risks and future regulation of digital assets in the art market
Laura is a member of the Meridian International Center’s Council for Cultural Diplomacy.