Beacon Global Strategies (BGS), a leading strategic advisory firm focusing on global public policy, government procurement, and geopolitical risk analysis, announced four new members to its growing team. The Honorable Dana Deasy, Dr. James Miller, Mr. Brian Nilsson and General Stephen "Seve" Wilson (Ret.) will bring further depth and breadth to Beacon's market leading practices helping companies navigate national security decision making and emerging trends. Additionally, BGS is pleased to announce Ms. Kaitlyn Garman has been promoted to the position of Associate Vice President.
"We are thrilled to welcome such a highly respected group of national security experts and look forward to the value they will add to our team. We are confident these additions will enhance our company as we continue to grow and offer exceptional service," said Jeremy Bash, a Co-Founder and Managing Director at BGS.
These individuals join Beacon's cadre of professionals, led by Managing Directors, Michael Allen, Jeremy Bash, and Andrew Shapiro, Chief Operating Officer Kristin White, and Senior Counselors Secretary Leon Panetta and Michael Morell.
The Honorable Dana S. Deasy joins BGS as Senior Advisor. Prior to joining BGS, Mr. Deasy served as the Department of Defense Chief Information Officer (DoD CIO) from December 2019 to January 2021. In this role, he was the primary advisor to the Secretary of Defense for matters of information management, information technology, and information assurance, as well as non-intelligence space systems, critical satellite communications, navigation and timing programs, spectrum, and telecommunications. Mr. Deasy has more than 40 years of experience leading and delivering large scale IT strategies in projects, including several private sector senior leadership positions, most recently as Global Chief Information Officer of JPMorgan Chase. Earlier in his career, Mr. Deasy served as the Chief Information Officer and Group Vice President at BP and as CIO for General Motors North America, Tyco International, and Siemens Americas. He also held several senior leadership positions at Rockwell Space Systems Division, including as Director of Information Management for Rockwell's space shuttle program.
Dr. James Miller joins BGS as Senior Advisor. As Under Secretary of Defense for Policy from 2012 to 2014, Dr. Miller was the principal civilian advisor to the Secretary of Defense on strategy and operations, DoD's Deputy for National Security Council policy-making and crisis management, and worked to strengthen relations with allies and partners in the Indo-Pacific, Europe, and the Middle East. As Principal Deputy Under Secretary of Defense for Policy from 2009 to 2012, he oversaw major departmental reviews on nuclear policy, ballistic missile defense, space, and cyberspace, and led the Department's efforts in support of the New START Treaty. Dr. Miller is a senior fellow at Johns Hopkins University's Applied Physics Laboratory and at Harvard University's Belfer Center for Science & International Affairs. He serves on the Board of Advisors for the Center for a New American Security, and is a member of the International Institute for Strategic Studies and the Council on Foreign Relations. Dr. Miller is the author of multiple publications on national security strategy, planning, and technology policy, including a recently released study on improving U.S. cyber defenses.
Mr. Brian Nilsson joins BGS as Senior Advisor. Prior to joining BGS, Mr. Nilsson served as the Deputy Assistant Secretary of State for Defense Trade Controls in the Bureau of Political-Military Affairs from October 2015 to December 2017. In this role, he managed the Directorate of Defense Trade Controls (DDTC) and provided overall policy guidance regarding the transfer of defense technologies to other countries through commercial defense trade, and served as one of the key links between the State and Defense Departments in this issue area. Mr. Nilsson also served as the Director for Non-Proliferation–Export Controls on the National Security Council (NSC) at the White House from September 2008 to October 2015. He had the NSC export control portfolio for dual-use items and the export and import control portfolio for munitions items. His primary responsibility was for the Administration's Export Control Reform (ECR) Initiative for the NSC and the National Economic Council and he served as the chair of the White House Export Control Reform Task Force. Mr. Nilsson served as Chairman of the Operating Committee (OC) for Export Policy at the U.S. Department of Commerce, a type of administrative judge, hearing cases involving proposed exports or re-exports of dual-use items that require an export license. Prior to his Chairmanship, Mr. Nilsson held a series of positions at the Department of Commerce, including Deputy Director of the Foreign Policy Controls Division, Acting Director of the Office of Strategic Trade and Foreign Policy Controls, Senior Advisor to the Assistant Secretary of Commerce for Export Administration, and acting Deputy Assistant Secretary on behalf of the Assistant Secretary for matters related to the management and administrative functions.
General Stephen "Seve" Wilson (Ret.) joins BGS as Senior Advisor. General Wilson is a retired 4-star U.S. Air Force General with over 39 years of military service. Prior to joining BGS, he served as the 39th Vice Chief of Staff of the Air Force. As the Vice Chief, General Wilson managed the organizing, training and equipping of over 685,000 active duty, Guard and Reserve Airmen, helping direct strategy, policy, acquisition, technology, personnel and risk management. He helped manage the planning, programming, budgeting and execution of the Air Force's $205 billion annual budget. General Wilson also served on the Joint Requirements Oversight Council setting the acquisition requirements for the Department of Defense. He was widely acknowledged as the driving force for embracing both innovative technology and new thinking to include the startup of AFWERX, a U.S. Air Force program which expands technology, talent and transition partnerships for rapid and affordable commercial and military capabilities. General Wilson was also the catalyst behind the U.S. Air Force/M.I.T. AI Accelerator partnership to advance and improve Air Force operations while also addressing broader societal needs.
Ms. Kaitlyn Garman was promoted to Associate Vice President. Ms. Garman joined BGS in 2017 as a Senior Associate. Prior to joining BGS, she worked in the Office of the Secretary of Defense as Confidential Assistant to the Secretary of Defense and his Chief of Staff. For both roles, Ms. Garman prepared and presented daily briefing materials, and provided research in support of implementing the strategic initiatives of the Secretary. Before her work with the Secretary of Defense, she worked as a research analyst at a major defense contractor, focusing on international security and legislative affairs. Ms. Garman graduated from Gettysburg College, magna cum laude, and was elected to Phi Beta Kappa. She later earned a Masters of Arts in International Affairs from Georgetown University.
About Beacon Global Strategies
Founded in 2013, Beacon Global Strategies is a bipartisan strategic advisory firm that provides clients an in-depth understanding of national security decision-making to advance objectives and solve problems in Washington and abroad. The Beacon team brings experience informed by their years of service in the White House, State Department, Defense Department, CIA, Justice Department, on Capitol Hill, and in the private sector.
