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Adam Boehler

(1979 - )

Adam Boehler is a prominent figure in healthcare innovation, private-sector leadership, and international diplomacy.

Born on June 23, 1979, into a Jewish family in Albany, New York, Boehler’s early academic achievements set the stage for his future endeavors. He graduated magna cum laude from the Wharton School of the University of Pennsylvania, where he majored in finance and minored in French. His formative years also included international experience, such as advocating for fiscal responsibility in South Africa with the Financial and Fiscal Commission.

Boehler’s professional career began in the private sector, where he demonstrated a talent for innovation and investment. His roles spanned major firms like Battery Ventures and Francisco Partners, where he focused on emerging technologies, healthcare, and software investments, including projects in Israel. He founded several successful businesses, including Landmark Health, the largest home-based medical group in the U.S. The organization provided care for over 80,000 chronically ill patients and employed more than 1,000 people across the U.S. and India.

Transitioning to public service, Boehler was appointed Director of the Center for Medicare and Medicaid Innovation (CMMI) under the Department of Health and Human Services. There, he spearheaded reforms to improve patient outcomes while reducing healthcare costs. He also played a critical role in Operation Warp Speed, contributing to developing COVID-19 vaccines.

In 2019, Boehler became the inaugural CEO of the U.S. International Development Finance Corporation (DFC), a federal agency focusing on global investment and development. Under his leadership, the DFC played a pivotal role in negotiating with the Taliban. He also has a significant role in negotiating the Abraham Accords alongside his former college roommate, Jared Kushner, using financial incentives to encourage Arab nations to join. His work earned him the Department of Defense’s highest civilian honor.

Boehler is actively involved in Jewish and humanitarian causes. He serves on the board of the U.S. Holocaust Memorial Museum, underscoring his commitment to preserving Jewish history and combating anti-Semitism. His contributions to the Abraham Accords also reflect his dedication to fostering peace and collaboration in the Middle East.

Boehler has consistently argued that the threat of military action must accompany U.S. negotiations to bring home citizens wrongfully detained abroad. In August 2024, he advocated for a stronger U.S. stance in securing the release of hostages held in Gaza, even suggesting the possibility of a military raid to rescue American captives. Additionally, Boehler pointed to the lack of progress in hostage cases due to insufficient consequences imposed by the U.S. on those responsible.

On December 4, 2024, Boehler was nominated U.S. Special Envoy for Hostage Affairs by President-elect Donald Trump. Boehler is tasked with navigating complex diplomatic crises. His appointment came amid heightened tensions involving hostages in the Middle East, with Hamas still holding 100 hostages in Gaza, including seven American hostages, with four of them confirmed dead.

In response to his nomination, Boehler expressed his deep commitment to bringing Americans home, emphasizing the importance of taking decisive action and holding those responsible accountable. He used the phrase “Bring Them Home,” widely recognized for its association with efforts to rescue hostages held in Gaza.

In a December 9, 2024, interview with Israeli Channel 12 News, Boehler highlighted the Trump administration’s firm stance on Hamas and strong support for Israel. He cited Trump’s history of decisive action, such as the killing of Iran’s Quds Force leader, Qasem Soleimani, as proof that his warnings are not empty. Boehler criticized the Biden administration for its hesitancy toward Israel, emphasizing that Trump sees the U.S.-Israel relationship as a true partnership without conditions. On expanding the Abraham Accords, Boehler expressed optimism, praising Trump’s diplomatic team as a “rockstar group” focused on solidifying existing agreements and pursuing normalization with Saudi Arabia. He underscored Trump’s results-driven approach, positioning his administration as committed to action and strengthening peace efforts in the Middle East.

In a January 29, 2025, interview with Israeli Channel 12 News, Boehler emphasized that the Trump administration’s priority is securing the release of all hostages. He said that the decision to continue the war rests with Israel. On Saudi-Israel normalization, he expressed optimism and suggested that Saudi Arabia is open to engagement. When asked about the Saudis’ stance on a Palestinian state, he acknowledged their role in any future solution. Regarding Trump’s proposal for Palestinians to relocate from Gaza to Egypt or Jordan, Boehler said alternative solutions should be presented if the plan is rejected, insisting that short and long-term solutions are necessary.

In a February 4, 2025, interview with Israeli Channel 12 News, Boehler emphasized that President Trump is adamant about securing the release of all hostages, stating that their freedom is a critical priority. When pressed on Trump’s threats of what “or else” means, Boehler suggested that Trump’s history of decisively acting against terrorist organizations, such as his recent attack on ISIS, indicates a firm stance. He dismissed the notion that the goal of defeating Hamas contradicts efforts to free hostages, arguing that both objectives align with the broader strategy of combating terrorism.

On February 5, 2025, U.S. President Donald Trump’s envoy for hostage affairs, Adam Boehler, demanded the immediate release of Israeli hostage Elizabeth Tsurkov, threatening Iraqi Prime Minister Muhammad Shia al-Sudani with complicity if she is not freed. Buehler accused the Iraqi government of making false promises to the previous administration and insisted on immediate action. Iraqi sources denied reports of a proposed exchange involving Hezbollah prisoners held by Israel for the release of Tsurkov. Meanwhile, Israeli hostage affairs coordinator Gal Hirsch met with Boehler in Washington to discuss hostage negotiations in Gaza. 

Boehler is married and has four children. His family belongs to a Reform synagogue.


Sources: “Adam Boehler,” AAE Speakers
“Adam Boehler,” Health Evolution.
“Adam Boehler,” Milken Institute
“Adam Boehler,” ReachMD
“Meet the Seven American Hostages Still Held By Hamas,” AJC, (December 2, 2024).
Hannah Sarisohn, “Trump taps Abraham Accords negotiator Adam Boehler as special envoy for hostage affairs,” Jerusalem Post, (December 4, 2024).
Jacob Magid, “Trump taps Adam Boehler, who helped negotiate Abraham Accords, as special envoy for hostage affairs,” Times of Israel, (December 4, 2024). 
Ron Kampeas, “Trump names former Abraham Accords negotiator as top hostages official,” JTA, (December 4, 2024).
Gabby Deutch, Trump names Adam Boehler hostage affairs envoy, Jewish Insider, (December 4, 2024).
@realDonaldTrump, (December 4, 2024).
@aboehler, (December 4, 2024).
Itamar Eichner, “Trump envoy issues unusual threat to Iraqi PM demanding release of kidnapped Israeli Elizabeth Tsurkov,” Ynet, (February 5, 2025).

Photo: U.S. International Development Finance Corporation, Public domain, via Wikimedia Commons.