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Key people at Center for a New American Security.
Founded in 2007 by Michèle Flournoy and Kurt M Campbell, the Center for a New American Security is an independent, bipartisan nonprofit think tank based in Washington, DC, in the United States. Operating with an estimated 101 to 200 employees, the organization develops pragmatic national security and defense policies to inform the public, experts, and leaders across the executive branch and Congress. The institution is guided by prominent defense figures, including chief executive officer Richard Fontaine alongside board members Richard Armitage and Richard J Danzig. Supported financially through donations and grants from entities like the MacArthur Foundation, the think tank manages specialized initiatives such as the National Security Women’s Leadership project. Additionally, the organization prepares future policymakers through the Shawn Brimley Next Generation National Security Leaders Program, utilizing innovative, fact-based research to shape the broader national security debate.
Key people at Center for a New American Security.
The Center for a New American Security (CNAS) is an independent, bipartisan, nonprofit think tank based in Washington, DC, focused on developing strong, pragmatic, and principled national security and defense policies through research, analysis, and engagement with policymakers, experts, and the public.[1][2][3][5][6] Rather than an investment firm or portfolio company, CNAS operates as a nonpartisan research institution that informs national security leaders and elevates debates on issues like cybersecurity, nuclear nonproliferation, and Indo-Pacific strategy, with funding from grants such as those from the MacArthur Foundation for specific projects on counter-proliferation and women's leadership.[2][5]
CNAS was co-founded in February 2007 by Michèle Flournoy, a former deputy assistant secretary of defense under President Clinton and under secretary of defense for policy under President Obama, and Kurt M. Campbell, who later served as deputy secretary of state in the Biden administration.[2][3] The organization emerged amid post-Iraq War discussions on U.S. national security, quickly gaining influence as the Obama administration hired several CNAS experts for key roles, positioning it as a leading think tank on military affairs by 2009.[3] Its evolution has included targeted initiatives like the 2010 cybersecurity project co-chaired by figures such as Bob Kahn and Joseph Nye, and the 2016 "Papers for the Next President" series offering actionable policy recommendations.[3]
CNAS rides the trend of technology-national security convergence, analyzing how AI, quantum computing, cybersecurity, and drones intersect with defense amid rising threats from China, Russia, and non-state actors.[3][5][7] Its timing aligns with escalating great-power competition and tech-driven warfare, as seen in reports on Bitcoin mining's national security implications and global AI arms races, influencing U.S. policy through congressional briefings and executive recommendations.[5] Market forces like shifting alliances and rapid tech evolution favor CNAS's model, amplifying its voice in shaping federal cybersecurity spending and Indo-Pacific strategies, while its ecosystem ties (e.g., World Economic Forum quantum initiatives) bridge think tank research to industry and government action.[3][5][7]
CNAS is poised to lead on AI-driven defense innovation and countering authoritarian tech influence, with events like the 2025 "America’s Edge" conference signaling deeper focus on U.S. global competitiveness.[5] Trends like multi-polar security webs in Asia-Pacific and psychological impacts of drone warfare will shape its agenda, potentially expanding influence as alumni cycle back into administrations.[3][5] Its bipartisan edge positions it to evolve from policy incubator to ecosystem shaper, sustaining impact amid volatile geopolitics—much like its post-2007 rise redefined national security discourse.[1][3]
