Lori Khatchadourian received her PhD in Classical and Near Eastern Archaeology  at the University of Michigan, Ann Arbor, in Classical and Near Eastern Archaeology. Her areas of interest include the archaeology of the Caucasus and the Black Sea, and issues of ethnicity, empires, and frontiers. From 1999 to 2002,Ds. Khatchadourian worked in the Eurasia division of the National Democratic Institute for International Affairs (NDI), an international political development organization that provides practical assistance for civic and political leaders advancing democratic practices. She has lived and worked in the Caucasus and other parts of the former Soviet Union, with NDI and other organizations. Ms. Khatchadourian holds a master's degree in Russian and Post-Soviet Studies from the London School of Economics and a bachelor's degree in Classics and Government from Georgetown University.