[email protected]
Michèle Flournoy
Undersecretary of Defense for Policy (2009-2012); Co-Founder & Managing Partner of WestExec Advisors; Co-Founder & Former CEO of Center for a New American Security (CNAS)
Michèle Flournoy is Co-Founder and Managing Partner of WestExec Advisors, and former Co-Founder and Chief Executive Officer of the Center for a New American Security (CNAS), where she currently serves as Chair of the Board of Directors.
Michèle served as the Under Secretary of Defense for Policy from February 2009 to February 2012. She was the principal advisor to the Secretary of Defense in the formulation of national security and defense policy, oversight of military plans and operations, and in National Security Council deliberations. She led the development of the Department of Defense’s 2012 Strategic Guidance and represented the Department in dozens of foreign engagements, in the media and before Congress.
Prior to confirmation, Michèle co-led President Obama’s transition team at the Defense Department.
In January 2007, Michèle co-founded CNAS, a bipartisan think tank dedicated to developing strong, pragmatic and principled national security policies. She served as CNAS’ President until 2009, and returned as CEO in 2014. In 2017, she co-founded WestExec Advisors, a strategic advisory firm.
Previously, she was senior advisor at the Center for Strategic and International Studies for several years and, prior to that, a distinguished research professor at the Institute for National Strategic Studies at the National Defense University (NDU).
In the mid-1990s, she served as Principal Deputy Assistant Secretary of Defense for Strategy and Threat Reduction and Deputy Assistant Secretary of Defense for Strategy.
Michèle is the recipient of numerous honors and awards, including: the American Red Cross Exceptional Service Award in 2016; the Department of Defense Medal for Distinguished Public Service in 1998, 2011, and 2012; the Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff’s Joint Distinguished Civilian Service Award in 2000 and 2012; the Secretary of Defense Medal for Outstanding Public Service in 1996; and CARE’s Global Peace, Development and Security Award in 2019. She has edited several books and authored dozens of reports and articles on a broad range of defense and national security issues. Michèle appears frequently in national and international media, including CNN’s State of the Union, ABC’s This Week, NBC’s Meet the Press, BBC News, NPR’s Morning Edition and All Things Considered and PBS’ News Hour, and is frequently quoted in top tier newspapers.
Michèle serves on the boards of Booz Allen Hamilton, Amida Technology Solutions, The Mission Continues, Spirit of America, The U.S. Naval Academy Foundation, CARE, and sits on the Honorary Advisory Committee of The Leadership Council for Women in National Security. Michèle is also a former member of the President’s Intelligence Advisory Board, the CIA Director’s External Advisory Board, and the Defense Policy Board, and is currently a member of the Council on Foreign Relations and the Aspen Strategy Group, and is a Senior Fellow at Harvard’s Belfer Center for Science and International Affairs.
Michèle earned a bachelor’s degree in social studies from Harvard University and a master’s degree in international relations from Balliol College, Oxford University, where she was a Newton-Tatum scholar.
Related Speakers View all
Jane Lute
Former Deputy Secretary of Homeland Security & Speci...
|
|
Camille A. Stewart
Cybersecurity & Privacy Attorney; Global Head of Pro...
|
|
Nuala O'Connor
President & CEO of the Center for Democracy and Tech...
|
|
Dr. Janet Fish
Motivational Inspirational Humorist Speaker
|
|
Nadya Bartol
Cybersecurity Strategy and Implementation Expert for...
|
|
Myrna Soto
Senior Vice President & Global CISO of Comcast
|
|
Stacey Abrams
Political Leader, Voting Rights Activist & New York ...
|
|
Tyler Cohen Wood
Cybersecurity & Block Chain Algorithm Expert; Former...
|
|
Lata Reddy
Prudential Financial's Senior Vice President of Dive...
|
|
Carey Lohrenz
First Female F-14 Fighter Pilot in the U.S. Navy, T...
|
|
Andrea Mitchell
Host of MSNBC’s "Andrea Mitchell Reports" & Chief Fo...
|
|
Becky Halstead
First Female Graduate of West Point to Reach General
|
|
Rebecca Ulam Weiner
Deputy Commissioner, New York City Police Department...
|
|
Marene Allison
Cybersecurity Advisor, Retired Vice President and Ch...
|
|
Nicole Perlroth
NYT Best Selling Cybersecurity Author & CISA Advisor
|
|
Shira Rubinoff
Cybersecurity & Blockchain Advisor, Influencer, Thou...
|
|
Amy Hess
Chief of Public Services of Louisville Metro Governm...
|
|
Ellen Rosenblum
1st Female Attorney General of Oregon; Consumer Prot...
|
|
Lauren Moxley
Associate at Covington & Burling
|
|
Cathy Lanier
Senior Vice President of Security at NFL & Former Ch...
|