Board of Advisors

Milancy Harris is a strategic leader with over 20 years of experience bridging government and industry to develop innovative solutions for complex policy and national security challenges.

Confirmed by the Senate as the Deputy Under Secretary of Defense for Intelligence and Security in December 2022, she most recently served as the Acting Under Secretary of Defense for Intelligence and Security from March 2024 until January 2025. In that role, she functioned as the Department of Defense’s principal intelligence, counterintelligence, security, and law enforcement advisor. She oversaw the five defense agencies that comprise the Defense Intelligence and Security Enterprise and the Military Intelligence Program, which includes several critical national security investments.

Earlier in her tenure at the Department of Defense, Ms. Harris served as Deputy Assistant Secretary of Defense for Irregular Warfare and Counterterrorism from February 2021 through December 2022 where she implemented a strategic transition while supporting multiple crises across Asia, Africa, and the Middle East. Ms. Harris began her career as an all-source analyst at the Defense Intelligence Agency before serving in senior roles at the Office of the Director of National Intelligence, National Security Council, and Department of Defense focused on intelligence analysis, counterterrorism operations, and national security policy. Ms. Harris also played a pivotal role in technology governance, operationalizing Meta’s Oversight Board, serving as its first Chief of Staff, and shaping governance structures for complex global content moderation challenges.

Ms. Harris is a recipient of both the Department of Defense Distinguished Public Service Medal and the National Intelligence Distinguished Public Service Medal. She holds dual Bachelor of Arts degrees in International Affairs and English Literature from Marquette University and earned a Master of Arts in Political Management and a Graduate Certificate in International Security Studies from The George Washington University.