Susanna Blume, Former Deputy Chief of Staff for Programs and Plans to the Deputy Secretary of Defense, Joins CNAS as Fellow

The Center for a New American Security (CNAS) announced today that Susanna Blume, the former Deputy Chief of Staff for Programs and Plans to the Deputy Secretary of Defense, has joined CNAS as a fellow in the Defense Strategies and Assessments Program. Blume will cover a range of issues for CNAS, including the defense budget and key programs, defense posture, force management, and strategy and strategic planning.

“We are happy to welcome Susanna to CNAS,” said CNAS Chief Executive Officer Michèle Flournoy. “I had the pleasure of working with her at the Pentagon, and I have seen her intelligence, her insight, and her expertise in action. At a time when budget caps and more than a decade and a half of war have left our military struggling to fund critical programs, we need people like Susanna to find solutions. I am looking forward to working with her once again.”

As Deputy Chief of Staff for Programs and Plans to the Deputy Secretary of Defense, Blume advised the Deputy Secretary on programming and budget issues, global force management, operational and strategic planning, force posture, and acquisition policy. She previously served in the Office of the Under Secretary of Defense for Policy and in the Office of the Deputy Assistant Secretary of Defense for Plans and Posture.

Dr. Jerry Hendrix, Director of the CNAS Defense Strategies and Assessments Program, agreed with Flournoy’s assessment. “Susanna is a perfect fit at CNAS. She can take on critical, complicated, and controversial issues and develop clear recommendations on a way forward. I am excited to have the opportunity to work with her.”

Blume holds a master's degree in international studies from the Johns Hopkins University School of Advanced International Studies, a law degree from the George Washington University Law School, and a bachelor's degree in the history of art from the Johns Hopkins University.

Blume is available for interviews. To arrange one, please contact Neal Urwitz at [email protected] or (202) 457-9409.