Michèle Flournoy Speaking Fee: $20,000 to $30,000

Michèle Flournoy has built a distinguished career in defense policy and strategic advisory roles. She co-founded WestExec Advisors in 2017, alongside Antony Blinken, where she currently serves as managing partner. This firm provides strategic advice to clients in the private and public sectors, leveraging her deep expertise in defense and national security. Flournoy’s public service career is highlighted by her tenure as the Under Secretary of Defense for Policy from 2009 to 2012 under President Obama. In this role, she was a principal advisor to the Secretary of Defense, contributing significantly to the formulation of national security and defense policies. She played a crucial role in the development of the Department of Defense’s 2012 Strategic Guidance and was instrumental in policies related to the counter-insurgency efforts in Afghanistan and military intervention in Libya. In 2007, Flournoy co-founded the Center for a New American Security (CNAS), a bipartisan think tank dedicated to developing pragmatic and principled national security policies. She served as its president until 2009 and returned as CEO in 2014. Her leadership at CNAS has been pivotal in shaping contemporary defense and security strategies. Beyond her roles in government and think tanks, Flournoy has contributed to various boards and advisory committees, including the President’s Intelligence Advisory Board and the CIA Director’s External Advisory Board. She has also been involved with the Belfer Center for Science and International Affairs as a senior fellow and has served on the board of directors for Booz Allen Hamilton. Flournoy’s career reflects a profound commitment to national security and defense, marked by her ability to navigate and influence both the public and private sectors effectively. Her expertise continues to shape policies and strategies that address some of the most pressing security challenges facing the United States and its allies.