Clifton Foster’s, MN ’18, life long interest in exploration, natural environment, and foreign cultures stems from having lived for over 20 years in the Middle East (Iran, Lebanon, Saudi Arabia, and United Arab Emirates) as well in Iceland and Austria.

Clifton has decades long interest in arid/desert regions particularly pre-monotheistic and early Islamic culture of the Arabian Peninsula. A recent 10-day expedition to Saudi Arabia supported by the Saudi Arabia Department of Antiquities and Museums provided insights to pre-Islamic and early Islamic archeological sites of ad-Diriyah, Madain Saleh, al-Ukhdud, ancient wells, and Rub al-Khali petroglyphs. Currently, he is working with a publisher contributing images for a historical book on ad-Diriyah commissioned by the Saudi High Commission for the Development of Arriyadh. Prior independent and group explorations include multiple archeological site visits in Saudi Arabia, United Arab Emirates, Lebanon, and Iran.

Another area of primary interest is the Nordic and Arctic Polar Regions encompassing Viking archeology and Arctic polar climate change.

Clifton is a Principal of Bessemer Trust Company, NA where he provides wealth management services to individuals and their families. He earned his Master of International Management from The American Graduate School of International Management, and his B.A. in International Studies from The American University. He is a Wilson Council member of the Woodrow Wilson International Center for Scholars and the Army Navy Club of Washington DC. Clifton supports the Cheetah Conservation Fund, the Salk Institute for Biological Sciences and is a former Finance and Development Committees member of the Corcoran Museum of Art.

Clifton was born in Lisbon, Portugal while his parents were with the U.S. Foreign Service. He is married to a Danish national and their two children are both US and Danish citizens.