Kelly Magsamen | |
|---|---|
 | |
| Chief of Staff to theUnited States Secretary of Defense | |
| In office January 20, 2021 – June 28, 2024 | |
| President | Joe Biden |
| Preceded by | Kash Patel |
| Succeeded by | Derek Chollet |
| Assistant Secretary of Defense for Indo-Pacific Security Affairs | |
| In office June 10, 2016 – January 20, 2017 Acting | |
| President | Barack Obama |
| Preceded by | David B. Shear |
| Succeeded by | David F. Helvey (acting) |
| Personal details | |
| Education | American University (BA) Johns Hopkins University (MA) |
Kelly E. Magsamen is an American foreign policy and national security advisor who served as the chief of staff to theUnited States Secretary of Defense in theBiden administration. She was previously the vice president for national security and international policy at theCenter for American Progress.
She resigned as chief of staff in June 2024.[1]
She earned a Bachelor of Arts degree fromAmerican University and a Master of Arts fromJohns Hopkins University.[2]
Magsamen began her career at theUnited States Department of State, specializing inIraq policy. She later served as the principal deputy assistant secretary of defense for Asian and Pacific Security Affairs, where she managed strategy related toAsia and theSouth China Sea.[3][4][5] During theObama administration, Magsamen worked as a staffer on theUnited States National Security Council.[6]
Magsamen has appeared as a commentator onNPR.[7][8] She has written op-ed columns on national security issues for Defense One,Foreign Policy,The Washington Post,The Hill, and others.[9]