The ABI Board of Advisors meeting in Washington DC, is meeting with Michele Flourney, the co-founder of CNAS, a policy think tank whith the mandate “to help identify the key challenges confronting this generation of Americans in the foreign policy and national security arena.” The purpose of the meeting is to brainstorm about the role of policy think tanks in social change. Think thanks help build intellectual capital in key areas for society. Different models exist for think tanks: some are research oriented, others take on an advocacy component. Some are partisan while others like CNAS are bi-partisan. Think tanks are idea generators first and foremost around a societal program, looking at long term influences and trends and setting the discourse on national policy issues of concern. They play a key role in developing the next generation of policy makers. Research plays a central role: defining the issue at hand and drawing on experts and stakeholders is a central component of their mission. By engaging these stakeholders in the inquiry process, CNAS is able to influence action.