Friends of Slovakia is thrilled to announce that Dr. Eva Jenkins has been elected to the FOS Board of Directors. Her unwavering dedication to fostering US-Slovak friendship makes her an outstanding addition to our esteemed leadership ranks.
Dr. Eva Strelka Jenkins was born in Bratislava and left with her family shortly after the Soviet-led Warsaw Pact forces invaded Czechoslovakia on August 20, 1968. Her parents had to leave without saying goodbye to family and friends, with no knowledge of the English language, virtually no money, two small suitcases, and a two-year-old daughter. After spending ten years in Canada, her family immigrated to the United States in 1978.
Dr. Jenkins is now a Colonel in the United States Air Force, Assistant Professor, and Chair for the Chairman, Joint Chiefs of Staff at the National Defense University, National War College. Previously, she served as the Director of Intelligence, Surveillance, and Reconnaissance (ISR) Pacific Air Forces in Hawaii, where she was the Air Force Senior Intelligence Officer for 2,000 personnel in the Pacific, covering 52% of the earth’s surface.
Eva is a European/NATO/Eurasian Regional Affairs Specialist and a Political Affairs Specialist. Her areas of expertise include Slovakia, Central Europe, Europe, Russia, and the Asia-Pacific region. She specializes in national security strategy, strategic planning, Intelligence, Surveillance and Reconnaissance (ISR), executive leadership and coaching, and motivational speaking.
Eva holds a B.S. in Mathematics, an M.A. in Computer Resources (Distinguished Graduate) from Webster University in Missouri, an M.A. in Strategic Studies (Academic Distinction) from Air University, and a Ph.D. in International Studies (Academic Merit) from the University of Miami. She travels back to Slovakia frequently, either officially or personally. With a passion for cooperation between the United States and Slovakia, Eva’s doctoral dissertation, “Slovakia’s Journey to NATO Membership,” was published as a book in both English and Slovak.