Photo: CSIS
WASHINGTON, DC – November 13, 2024 – The Center for Strategic and International Studies (CSIS) today announced that the Honorable Erik Raven has been appointed as non-resident senior advisor with the CSIS Defense and Security Department.
Raven joins CSIS after serving as the 34th Under Secretary of the Navy from April 2022 to August 2024. In this position, he served as the Chief Operating Officer and Chief Management Officer of the Department of the Navy, comprised of more than 800,000 Sailors, Marines, and civilians, with an annual budget of more than $250 billion.
"Erik’s extensive track record as a leader in U.S. defense policy circles is a testament to the value that he brings to CSIS,” said Seth G. Jones, president of the CSIS Defense and Security Department. “His unique perspective will enhance CSIS’s work on U.S. force posture, maritime issues, the defense budget, and U.S. defense interests in the Indo-Pacific, and we are thrilled to have him join the team."
As Under Secretary, Raven led the planning, programming, budgeting, and execution process for the Navy and Marine Corps; played a leading role in designing and implementing the AUKUS program to deliver advanced submarines to Australia; and oversaw presidential drawdown authorities to field naval capabilities to Taiwan and Ukraine. In addition, Raven was designated the Department of Defense’s Senior Defense Official for Guam, leading the coordination of infrastructure projects among numerous defense components and liaising with the Government of Guam.
Previously, Raven worked for 23 years as a staffer in the United States Senate. He served as clerk of the Defense Appropriations Subcommittee, where he was the principal advisor to the Chairs responsible for writing and passing the annual budget bills for the Department of Defense and intelligence community, which exceeded $750 billion per year. Additionally, Raven was a professional staff member for the Subcommittee on Defense and served in the personal offices of three U.S. senators.
He graduated from Connecticut College with a Bachelor of Arts with honors and distinction in international relations, and from the London School of Economics with a Master of Science in the history of international relations. Raven is currently working as Managing Director at Beacon Global Strategies where he is responsible for leading the firm’s Defense Practice Area.
“I am honored to join the distinguished team of CSIS national security experts, who are trusted to provide insight and analysis on the most challenging problems in a rapidly changing world. I look forward to adding my experience and perspectives to these critical discussions.” said Erik Raven.
The CSIS Defense and Security Department tackles the most complex issues shaping the global security landscape, offering practical solutions to the hardest national security strategy questions. To learn more and read recent analyses by the CSIS Defense and Security Department, visit here.
For media inquiries, please contact Sam Cestari at scestari@csis.org.