President-elect Joe Biden nominated Kathleen Hicks MPM ‘93 for the position of Deputy Secretary of Defense. If confirmed, she will be the first woman in history to hold the position, the second-highest in the Pentagon.
Hicks will be responsible for the advancement of the incoming administration’s defense strategy, the logistics of the COVID-19 vaccine distribution, and work to restore alliances and modernize the armed forces according to the presidential transition team.
Previously, Hicks served in the Obama administration as principal deputy under secretary of defense for policy as well as the deputy under secretary of defense for strategy, plans, and forces. She currently serves as senior vice president and director of the International Security Program at the Center for Strategic and International Studies (CSIS) and leads the presidential transition’s defense agency review team.
"I couldn’t be more proud to have Dr. Kathleen Hicks be nominated to become Deputy Secretary of Defense,” said CSIS President and CEO John J. Hamre. “I held that job and know what it takes to succeed. Dr. Hicks is a superb choice for this important job. She has the discipline, intellect, and organizational skill to make the Department work effectively for the Secretary. She has a strong moral compass and a keen commitment to the success of the Department and the well-being of its military and civilian personnel."