Emily Kilcrease Named Director of CNAS Energy, Economics, and Security Program

Washington, June 22, 2021 — The Center for a New American Security (CNAS) is pleased to announce that Emily Kilcrease has been named Senior Fellow and Director of the Energy, Economics, and Security Program. Prior to joining CNAS, Ms. Kilcrease served as a Deputy Assistant U.S. Trade Representative, overseeing the development, negotiation, and coordination of U.S. foreign investment policy.

“Emily’s years of expertise in foreign investment and trade make her uniquely suited to lead the Center’s Energy, Economics, and Security Program,” said CNAS CEO Richard Fontaine. “Emily has made significant policy contributions to tackling critical reforms in economic and national security, and we’re thrilled she will lead cutting-edge research at CNAS.”

As Deputy Assistant U.S. Trade Representative, Ms. Kilcrease served as the senior career staffer leading USTR’s work on the Committee on Foreign Investment in the United States (CFIUS) and coordinated USTR’s policy engagement on related national security and economic tools, including export controls and supply chain risk management. She played a lead role in drafting CFIUS reform regulations, with a focus on transactions involving critical technology and sensitive personal data. She was involved in the negotiation and enforcement of the Phase One Agreement with China, trilateral work with the EU and Japan to counter unfair Chinese trade practices, and the initial negotiations for a free trade agreement (FTA) with the United Kingdom.

Ms. Kilcrease also served on the National Security Council (NSC) as a Director for International Trade, Investment, and Development. She focused on reforming U.S. development finance authorities and launched the interagency effort that resulted in the BUILD Act, as well as coordinating policy on women’s economic empowerment. Prior to the NSC, she served at the Department of Commerce where she oversaw the department’s CFIUS work. She began her government service at the Department of the Interior working on trade and environment policy.

Ms. Kilcrease received her MA in international relations, with a concentration in international development and economics, from the Johns Hopkins School of Advanced International Studies (SAIS). She received her BA in government from Georgetown University.

For more information or to request an interview with Emily Kilcrease, contact Shai Korman at comms@cnas.org or call 202-695-8166.