John Hamre, President and CEO of the Center for Strategic & International Studies

John Hamre has served as the president and chief executive officer of the Center for Strategic & International Studies since 2000.

CSIS is a bipartisan, nonprofit policy research organization that focuses on the areas of defense and national security. The organization’s scholars share their expertise through conferences, publications, lectures and media appearances.

Hamre has prior experience working at the Department of Defense and Capitol Hill, according to his organizational profile.

For four years, he served as the undersecretary of defense under the Clinton administration. During that time, he helped the defense secretary in handling the defense budget and management improvement programs.

He is also the former chairman of the Defense Policy Board, an advisory body that provides the top leaders at the DOD with informed advice and opinion concerning major matters of defense policy.

In addition, he had a 10-year stint as a professional staff member of the Senate Armed Services Committee. His focus areas as a staff member included procurement, development programs and defense budget issues.

He is also a former deputy assistant director at the Congressional Budget Office, where he was responsible for national security and international affairs.

Hamre earned his bachelor’s degree in 1972 from Augustana College. He went on to complete his doctorate degree in 1978 from the School of Advanced International Studies at Johns Hopkins University.