President Donald Trump on Feb. 13 announced his intent to nominate Kathryn Wheelbarger to serve as deputy undersecretary of defense for intelligence and security.
Currently the principal deputy assistant secretary of defense for international security affairs, Wheelbarger oversees policy issues related to the nations and international organizations of Europe, Russia, the Middle East, Africa and the Western Hemisphere.
Prior, Wheelbarger served as vice president for litigation and chief compliance officer at CSRA Inc., where she managed the litigation and investigations portfolio and oversaw the Ethics and Compliance Office.
Wheelbarger also served within Congress from 2011–2017 as the policy director for the Senate Armed Services Committee, where she handled the committee’s intelligence portfolio for Chairman John McCain. She also served as deputy staff director and senior counsel for the House Permanent Select Committee on Intelligence, and as deputy chief of staff for the House Committee on Energy and Commerce.
Prior to working in Congress, Wheelbarger was counsel to Vice President Richard Cheney and general counsel to the vice president’s 80-person staff from 2007–2009. Additionally, she served as counselor to the secretary at the Department of Homeland Security from 2005-2007.
