Anne A. Witkowsky

Anne Witkowsky was sworn in as the Assistant Secretary for the Bureau of Conflict and Stabilization Operations on January 10, 2022.  Before then, she was most recently a non-resident Senior Democracy Fellow at Freedom House, where she co-directed the joint Freedom House, Center for Strategic and International Studies (CSIS), and McCain Institute Task Force on the U.S. Strategy to Support Democracy and Counter Authoritarianism.  Assistant Secretary Witkowsky previously served in government as Deputy Assistant Secretary of Defense for Stability and Humanitarian Affairs (2014-2016) in the Office of the Under Secretary for Defense for Policy; as Acting Principal Deputy Coordinator in the State Department’s Bureau of Counterterrorism (2012-2013); and as the Bureau of Counterterrorism’s Deputy Coordinator for Homeland Security and Multilateral Affairs (2009-2013).  She also served as Director for Defense Policy and Arms Control on the White House National Security Council staff (1993-2000) and spent her early government career in the Office of the Secretary of Defense for Policy.

Assistant Secretary Witkowsky holds a Bachelor of Arts in Russian and East European studies from Yale University and a Master in Public Administration with a concentration in international security from Harvard University’s John F. Kennedy School of Government.  She is the recipient of several State Department Superior and Meritorious Honor Awards, the Department of Defense Medal for Distinguished Civilian Service, and the Secretary of Defense Medal for Outstanding Public Service.