BPIA and Cornerstone Government Affairs Presents "Diversity in National Security and Foreign Policy: Discovering the Path Forward"

EVENT DESCRIPTION:

In celebration of Black History Month, join us for a conversation on Wednesday, February 23 at 1:00 PM ET, on the importance of diversity and inclusion within the national security and foreign policy arena. BPIA and Cornerstone Government Affairs presents "Diversity in National Security and Foreign Policy: Discovering the Path Forward". In this roundtable discussion, Cornerstone Government Affairs Principal, Charles Carithers, will address matters of diversity and inclusion with some of our nation's top national security officials and proponents of equity. This discussion will include Camille Stewart, Global Head of Product Security Strategy at Google, Major Reginald E. Thomas III of the United States Marine Corps, and Leah Cato, Deputy Director of the Office of East Asian and Pacific Affairs in the Bureau of Democracy, Human Rights, and Labor at the U.S. State Department.

*This is a members-only event.*

PANELISTS:

Charles Carithers

Principal, Cornerstone Government Affairs - Moderator

Charles Carithers joined Cornerstone in January 2020 from the House Committee on Homeland Security, where he served as professional staff advising Chairman Bennie Thompson (D-MS) on various national security and intelligence matters. Before joining the Committee, Charles spent 11 years in the U.S. Intelligence Community (IC), having served in various leadership capacities, including the associate deputy director of public affairs for the Intelligence Advanced Research Projects Activity (IARPA) and a senior policy officer developing national level policies governing the IC within the Office of the Director of National Intelligence (ODNI). Charles also served as a Brookings Institution legislative fellow with the Homeland Security and Governmental Affairs Committee in the Senate where he advised then Ranking Member Sen. Thomas Carper (D-DE) and Committee staff on matters related to foreign policy and national security. He is a term member with the Council on Foreign Relations and the recipient of the Joint Civilian Service Commendation Award and Medal and the Secretary of Defense Global War on Terrorism Award and Medal. Charles is also an Adjunct Professor at Georgetown University where he teaches a graduate level course on Congress and U.S. national security policy. In May of 2021, Charles was selected to serve on the United Negro College Fund (UNCF) DC, Maryland and Northern Virginia Leadership Council. Charles also serves as a member of the Board of Directors for the nonprofit, STEM4US.

Camille Stewart

Global Head of Product Security Strategy at Google

Camille Stewart is an industry-recognized, cybersecurity leader with experience building programs & solutions to address complex technology, cyber, and national security, and foreign policy challenges across the public and private sectors. Named the Global Head of Product Security Strategy at Google she leads federated security for the company. Previously, Camille led security, privacy, election integrity, and dis/misinformation efforts for Google's mobile business as the Head of Security Policy for Google Play and Android. Prior to Google, Camille managed cybersecurity, election security, tech innovation, and risk issues at Deloitte. Camille was appointed by President Barack Obama the Senior Policy Advisor for Cyber Infrastructure & Resilience Policy at the Department of Homeland Security. She was the Senior Manager of Legal Affairs at Cyveillance, a cybersecurity company after working on Capitol Hill. Her professional achievements have earned her recognition from a multitude of entities throughout her career including her being selected as a 2021 Root100 Honoree, 2021 Microsoft Security Changemaker of the Year, 2020 & 20201 Cyber Fellow at the Harvard Kennedy School Belfer Center for Science and International Affairs, the 2019 Cyber Security Women of the Year in the “Barrier Breaker'' category. Camille serves on the Board of Directors for The International Foundation for Electoral Systems, GirlSecurity, and is a member of the Charles F. Bolden Group.

Major Reginald E. Thomas III

United States Marine Corps

Major Reginald E. Thomas III is a U.S. Marine Corps Logistics Officer who holds a bachelor’s degree in English from Morehouse College. He has served from the tactical to strategic level as platoon commander, company commander, executive officer, and staff officer. Major Thomas completed assignments in U.S. Indo-Pacific, Central, and European Command areas of responsibility, and both U.S. coasts to include Headquarters Marine Corps, Pentagon, Washington D.C. He has three combat tours with conventional and special forces: two in support of Operation ENDURING FREEDOM, Afghanistan and one in support of combined-joint military efforts to include Operations NEW DAWN and INHERENT RESOLVE, Iraq and Syria. Currently, he is a masters candidate at Marine Corps University, Quantico, Virginia. Major Thomas and his wife, Ana, have one son, Hensley.

Leah Cato

Deputy Director of the Office of East Asian and Pacific Affairs in the Bureau of Democracy, Human Rights, and Labor, U.S. State Department

Leah Cato, a career member of the Foreign Service, is the Deputy Director of the Office of East Asian and Pacific Affairs in the Bureau of Democracy, Human Rights, and Labor.  Previously, she served as Coordinator for Commercial Advocacy in the Bureau of Economic Affairs from 2018-2020. Ms. Cato’s overseas assignments include Chile, El Salvador, Costa Rica, Kuwait, Iraq, and Yemen.  Domestically, she has served on the Chile Desk, as a Staff Assistant in the Bureau of Western Hemisphere Affairs Front Office, and as a Presidential Management Fellow in the Office of Cuban Affairs.  In addition, Ms. Cato was a Pearson Congressional Fellow in the Office of Senator Tim Kaine from 2014-2015.  Ms. Cato earned a Master's degree in International Relations and Diplomacy from Schiller International University in London and a Bachelor's degree in French and Spanish from Florida State University.