Comprehensive National Security: Strengthening Civilian-Military Partnerships

Join Black Professionals in International Affairs (BPIA) and Women of Color Advancing Peace and Security (WCAPS) for a leadership discussion in part with the BPIAChats Speaker Series:

Civilian-Military Partnerships within Bilateral and Multilateral Spheres

LT. Rachel Thomas, U.S. Navy

Wed., May 13, 2020 - UPDATED TIME 1:00pm to 2:00pm (ET)

LT Rachel Thomas is an active duty Foreign Area Officer in the U.S. Navy, detailed to State as the Senior Military Advisor on Women, Peace, and Security (WPS). She works to enhance Department of Defense (DoD) and State cooperation and collaboration on policies focused on the advancement of WPS, and further civilian-military partnerships within bilateral and multilateral spheres. She advises on opportunities between DoD and State as well as other partner militaries on gender training and gender-related engagements.

She also contributes to policy and programmatic development based on the connection between the security of women and girls and national security. Prior to her detail at State, she worked on improving relationships between partner militaries within the Indo-Asia-Pacific region, specifically on areas of military exercises. A native of Ann Arbor, Michigan, Rachel holds a BS in history and a minor in Japanese from the U.S. Naval Academy, as well as a MA in International Relations from Salve Regina University.