WASHINGTON, DC—January 29, 2021—The Atlantic Council today congratulates four members of its community recently named to serve in senior roles in the Biden-Harris Administration: Wendy Sherman, Eric Ridge, Caitlin Durkovich, and Rebecca Brocato. Each individual has made significant contributions to the Atlantic Council’s mission of shaping the global future together by galvanizing US leadership on the international stage.
Wendy Sherman, member of the Atlantic Council board since February 2018, has been nominated by President Biden to serve as Deputy Secretary of State. In her time on the Atlantic Council’s board, Sherman has been a steadfast advocate for the Atlantic Council’s mission of promoting a more free, secure, and prosperous world. Sherman previously served as Undersecretary of State for Political Affairs in the Obama Administration.
“The United States faces extraordinary challenges posed by COVID-19, a crippled economy, and a rapidly changing global order,” said Frederick Kempe, Atlantic Council president and CEO. “Wendy brings to the incoming administration the experience, dedication, and thoughtfulness that will be required for America to emerge from the pandemic stronger and to renew its global standing with partners and allies. She has been an effective leader inside and outside of government, and will serve our nation well at this historic moment.”
Eric Ridge, most recently Director for Strategy & Execution at the Atlantic Council’s Adrienne Arsht-Rockefeller Foundation Resilience Center, has been appointed to serve as the Deputy Assistant Secretary of Defense for Strategy and Force Development. In his tenure at the Council, Ridge played a central role in working towards the Center’s mission of reaching One Billion People with resilience solutions to climate change, migration, and security challenges by 2030. Ridge’s work focused on executing the Center’s interrelated lines of global work, where he applied his extensive professional background at the nexus of strategy, security, and risk on national policy issues including climate and migration.
“The Department of Defense has re-gained an incredible thought leader and expert strategist,” said Kathy Baughman McLeod, Atlantic Council Senior Vice President and Director of the Adrienne Arsht-Rockefeller Foundation Resilience Center. “Eric was an invaluable member of the Adrienne Arsht-Rockefeller Foundation Resilience Center. While we are disheartened to lose him, we feel even more confident in the future of our government with his stellar service.”
Caitlin Durkovich, a Nonresident Senior Fellow with the Atlantic Council’s Scowcroft Center for Strategy and Security, has been selected to serve as the Senior Director for Resilience and Response at the National Security Council. Among her other contributions to the Atlantic Council, Durkovich served as co-director of the Future of DHS Project—an initiative led by senior experts in homeland and national security to recommend major reforms for the US Department of Homeland Security (DHS). Under the leadership of Durkovich and co-director Thomas Warrick, the Future of DHS Project released a landmark report in September 2020 which details the reforms that will be needed for DHS to successfully combat today’s most urgent threats to the homeland.
“Caitlin is an excellent choice for this important position,” said Barry Pavel, Atlantic Council Senior Vice President and director of the Scowcroft Center for Strategy and Security. “Her contributions to the Future of DHS Project were essential to its success and impact to date. She will be a critical leader on the National Security Council staff at a time when resilience has never been higher on the national security agenda.”
Rebecca Brocato, Nonresident Senior Fellow with the Atlantic Council’s Digital Forensic Research Lab (DFRLab), has been selected to serve as Senior Director for Legislative Affairs at the National Security Council. Brocato brings to the role a broad range of national security expertise, as well as an expert ability to connect the technical work of countering disinformation with transformative policy options. She contributed her expertise to advancing the DFRLab’s mission of combatting disinformation by exposing falsehoods, documenting human rights abuses, and building digital resilience worldwide.
“Rebecca is a one of the sharpest policy minds across the broadest range of deep substantive challenges – from her regional work on the Middle East and Africa to functional areas like tech and trade – which makes her perfect for the role she will play at the National Security Council,” said Graham Brookie, director of the DFRLab. “She has a unique ability to match vision with deliberative action, and we look forward to working with her in her new role.”
The Atlantic Council’s Scowcroft Center for Strategy and Security works to develop sustainable, nonpartisan strategies to address the most important security challenges facing the United States and the world. The Atlantic Council’s Digital Forensic Research Lab works to protect democratic institutions and norms from those who seeking to undermine them in the digital engagement space. The Atlantic Council’s Adrienne Arsht-Rockefeller Foundation Resilience Center will reach One Billion People with resilience solutions to climate change, migration, and security challenges by 2030.
For media inquiries, please contact press@atlanticcouncil.org.
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