Davidson appointed to Defense Policy Board

MSU Denver president joins Department of Defense advisory group

Dec. 6, 2021

MSU Denver President Janine Davidson, Ph.D., has joined the Defense Policy Board, which provides independent policy advice to the U.S. Department of Defense. Davidson was sworn in remotely Dec. 1.

Secretary of Defense Lloyd Austin appointed Davidson to the board chaired by former Secretary of State Madeleine Albright. Albright was appointed in November to lead the recently reconstituted board, which will meet for the first time in Washington on Dec. 15-16.

The board will meet at the Pentagon a few times a year to provide independent advice on defense strategy to the secretary of defense, the deputy secretary of defense and the undersecretary of defense for policy, who manages the overall process.

“I’m always honored to serve my country, and I’m excited to join such an accomplished group of board members and collaborate with some familiar faces from my previous service in the Pentagon,” Davidson said.

Prior to her time at MSU Denver, Davidson served as the 32nd undersecretary of the U.S. Navy, a position she was appointed to by then-President Barack Obama. Davidson also served as deputy assistant secretary of defense for plans from 2009-12 and began her career as an Air Force officer and cargo pilot, where she was the first woman to fly the Air Force’s tactical C-130.

Davidson joins other national security colleagues and professionals, including Albright, Herman Bulls, Ash Carter, Victor Cha, Thomas Donilon, Eric Edelman, Michèle Flournoy, Richard Fontaine, Jon Huntsman Jr., Henry Kissinger, Anja Manuel, Michael O'Hanlon, BJ Penn, Kori Schake and H. Patrick Swygert.

More information about the Defense Policy Board and its membership can be found on its website.