Todd Harrison Joins CSIS as Director of Defense Budget Analysis and Senior Fellow in the International Security Program

WASHINGTON, June 24, 2015 – The Center for Strategic and International Studies (CSIS) is pleased to announce that noted defense budget expert Todd Harrison will join the organization on September 1 as director of defense budget analysis and senior fellow in the International Security Program (ISP). Mr. Harrison will lead the Center’s efforts to ensure timely, nonpartisan, and in-depth research on defense resourcing issues. He will work closely with other CSIS experts on these matters, including Mark Cancian, ISP senior adviser, and Ryan Crotty, deputy director of defense budget analysis. As a senior fellow in ISP, Mr. Harrison will also provide expert analysis in other critical areas of national security, including space defense.

“CSIS has a strong track record of providing insightful research and actionable recommendations on strategic planning and defense budget issues,” said Dr. John J. Hamre, president, CEO, and the Pritzker Chair at CSIS. “Todd Harrison’s unparalleled expertise on the defense budget will enable the Center to be the ‘go-to’ destination for defense budget analysis and all related issues.”

Mr. Harrison spent six years as a senior fellow in defense budget studies at the Center for Strategic and Budgetary Assessments (CSBA). His previous experience also includes working for Department of Defense clients at Booz Allen Hamilton, as well as working in the aerospace industry. In addition, he served in the U.S. Air Force Reserves.

“As the administration and Congress weigh next steps on the budget and the presidential campaign season intensifies, we are at an important juncture on defense issues,” said Dr. Kathleen H. Hicks, senior vice president, Henry A. Kissinger Chair, and director of the International Security Program at CSIS. “Todd’s stellar reputation for unbiased budget analysis, coupled with our existing expertise in strategy and force assessment, will help us contribute smart, sound, and fiscally informed ideas to shape the next decade of U.S. defense policy.”

Mr. Harrison frequently appears in the media, providing his expertise to national and international news organizations, including CNN, NPR, Al Jazeera, FOX News, and CNBC. He has also been named one of the Defense News 100 Most Influential People in U.S. Defense. Mr. Harrison holds a B.S. and an M.S. in aeronautics and astronautics from the Massachusetts Institute of Technology.

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The Center for Strategic and International Studies (CSIS) is a bipartisan, nonprofit organization founded in 1962 and headquartered in Washington, D.C. It seeks to advance global security and prosperity by providing strategic insights and policy solutions to decisionmakers.