Ben FitzGerald Joins CNAS Defense Program as Adjunct Senior Fellow 

Washington, March 7, 2019 – The Center for a New American Security (CNAS) announced today that Ben FitzGerald, former Executive Director of Strategy, Data, and Design in the Pentagon’s Office of the Undersecretary of Defense for Acquisition and Sustainment, has rejoined CNAS as an Adjunct Senior Fellow in the Defense Program. In this role, FitzGerald will contribute to CNAS’ research, mentor junior staff, and provide expert advice on key policy matters.

“Ben’s dedication to advancing military technology strategy, institutional innovation, and pragmatic defense policies will be a significant contribution to our research,” said CNAS CEO Richard Fontaine. “He is creative and bold, and I’m pleased to welcome him back to the Center.”

FitzGerald is a partner at Lupa, a private investment firm, where he leads the organization’s investment portfolio for technology with broadly defined security implications. Previously, he was the Executive Director of Strategy, Data, and Design in the Pentagon’s Office of the Undersecretary of Defense for Acquisition and Sustainment. In this role, he was the lead official responsible for reorganizing the former office of Acquisition, Technology, and Logistics – the largest such change since the Goldwater Nichols Act of 1986.

“We’re thrilled to welcome Ben back to the team,” said CNAS Defense Program Director Elbridge Colby. “He is a pioneering leader in the intersection of defense, technology, and acquisition, and will bring a vital and creative perspective to our work.”

Before the Pentagon, FitzGerald was a Professional Staff Member on the Senate Armed Services Committee. He also served as the Director of the Technology and National Security Program at CNAS; the founding Managing Director for the North American business of Noetic, a strategy consulting firm; and worked for a number of technology corporations to include IBM and Unisys. FitzGerald has written legislation; defense acquisition policy, including the creation of new acquisition pathways and governance models; and a variety of CNAS reports.

To reach FitzGerald or for more information on CNAS, please contact Cole Stevens at cstevens@cnas.org or 202-695-8166.

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