Adam Smith Albion is an expert on Turkic societies and the former Soviet Union who is executive director of the South East Asia Leadership Academy, a nonprofit regional cooperation organization that educates and connects mid-career business and NGO leaders in India, Vietnam and eight other countries. He cofounded and directed the Central Eurasia Leadership Alliance and Middle East Leadership Association—sister programs that currently include some 2,500 members across 30 countries. Adam was an ICWA fellow from 1994 to 2000, examining Turkey’s regional role in the former Soviet Bloc and the emergence of independent Central Asia. He went on to head Central Asia programming for the EastWest Institute and serve as a Central Asia analyst for Radio Free Europe/Radio Liberty. He lives in Istanbul after 20 years based in Uzbekistan’s capital, Tashkent.