Chris Cook

Senior Associate (Non-resident), Strategic Technologies Program
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Chris Cook

Chris Cook serves as the government affairs director for Saab, Inc. For nearly 20 years, he served in various senior federal capacities, both in uniform and as a civilian, focusing on national security, defense, and cyber matters. Cook most recently served 16 years in the U.S. Senate, including nearly a decade on the Senate Appropriations Committee directing over $87 billion in annual budget authority and national intelligence activities for the Department of Homeland Security’s 22 different component agencies and directing the federal government’s largest civilian cybersecurity program. Cook was responsible for the funding and oversight of the National Protection and Programs Directorate (NPPD) and transitioned the organization into what is now known as the Cybersecurity and Infrastructure Security Agency (CISA). He previously served as the deputy associate director for legislative affairs at the Office of Management and Budget. Cook also serves in uniform as an intelligence and space cadre officer in the U.S. Navy Reserve with active and reserve duty with the Defense Innovation Unit, U.S. Cyber Command’s Cyber National Mission Force, Navy Space Command, U.S. Indo-Pacific Command, Office of the Secretary of Defense, and Naval Special Warfare to include directly supporting U.S. Special Operations in eastern Europe and the Middle East. He is a John C. Stennis congressional senior fellow and a Council on Foreign Relations term member. He is a graduate of Jacksonville State University, the Naval War College, the Air Command and Staff College, and the Joint Forces Staff College at the National Defense University.