Mara Karlin, PhD, is a professor at Johns Hopkins University-School of Advanced International Studies and a visiting fellow at the Brookings Institution. Previously, she served in national security roles for six US secretaries of defense, advising on strategic planning, risk management, defense budgeting, the future of conflict, and regional affairs.

Most recently, she served as assistant secretary of defense for strategy, plans, and capabilities, leading the 2022 National Defense Strategy, which informs the work of three million people and a budget of approximately $850 billion. In that role, she advised the secretary of defense on forces, plans, posture, emerging capabilities, and security cooperation, including a historic modernization of US force posture, security cooperation reform, the development of numerous national and defense strategic guidance documents, and AUKUS.

Previously, she led the Department of Defense’s relations with nearly 150 countries, and spent years focused specifically on US policy toward the Middle East, Europe, and Asia. She has written two acclaimed books on military history and defense policy and served on multiple Congressional commissions. She received the Secretary of Defense Distinguished Public Service Medal, the highest award given to civilians by the Secretary of Defense.