About the Speaker:

Ms. Christine Wormuth was confirmed by the U.S. Senate as the Under Secretary of Defense for Policy on June 19, 2014. Ms. Wormuth serves as the Principal Staff Assistant to the Secretary of Defense and the Deputy Secretary of Defense for all matters on the formulation of national security and defence policy and the integration and oversight of DoD policy and plans to achieve national security objectives. Prior to the current appointment, Ms. Wormuth was appointed as the Deputy Under Secretary of Defense for Strategy, Plans, and Force Development in August, 2012.

She was also former Special Assistant to the President and Senior Director for Defense Policy and Strategy on the National Security Staff (NSS), and the Principal Deputy Assistant Secretary of Defense for Homeland Defense and Americas’ Security Affairs in the Office of the Under Secretary of Defense for Policy. Before returning to the Department of Defense as a political appointee in early 2009, Ms Wormuth was a Senior Fellow in the International Security Program with the Center for Strategic and International Studies. In 2007, she served as the Staff Director for the Independent Commission on the Security Forces of Iraq, also known as “The Jones Commission.” As Staff Director, she traveled with the Commission to Iraq, focusing on the readiness of Iraqi police forces.

Prior to joining CSIS, Ms Wormuth was a Principal at DFI Government Services, a defence consulting firm, where she developed and managed a wide range of projects for government clients within the Department of Defense and the Department of Homeland Security. Ms. Wormuth began her public service career in the Policy Office of the Office of the Secretary of Defense from 1996 through 2002. She entered government as a Presidential Management Intern and received a Masters of Public Policy from the University of Maryland. She holds a Bachelor of Arts in political science and fine art from Williams College.