Michelle Van Cleave

Michelle Van Cleave was appointed as the National Counterintelligence Executive (NCIX) on July 28, 2003.

Biography
In December 2001, Michelle Van Cleave was "Senior Advisor to the Executive Agent for Homeland Security and Department of Defense." She joined the Defense Department on September 21, 2001 as a consultant to the Undersecretary for Policy upon her nomination by President George W. Bush to serve as Assistant Secretary of Defense for Special Operations and Low Intensity Conflict. (The nomination [was] withdrawn, pending reorganization decisions within the Office of the Secretary of Defense.) Previously, she was co-founder and President of National Security Concepts, Inc., a Washington D.C. firm specializing in strategic planning and senior level policy analysis for government clients.

"In the 105th Congress, Ms. Van Cleave was the staff director and chief counsel of the Senate Judiciary Subcommittee on Technology, Terrorism and Government Information, which encompassed legislative and oversight work on counter-terrorism, encryption policy, and Year 2000 concerns. The Subcommittee was also the central forum in the Senate for hearings on critical infrastructure protection and the new threats of information warfare.

"From 1993 to 1997, Ms. Van Cleave was of Counsel to the Washington law firm of Feith and Zell, P.C. During this time, she also worked as a consultant to several government agencies including Los Alamos National Laboratory and the Central Intelligence Agency.

"For a cumulative period of five years from 1987 through 1993, Ms. Van Cleave held the positions of General Counsel and Assistant Director for National Security Affairs in the White House Office of Science and Technology Policy (OSTP). In the President's executive office, she was responsible for developing and coordinating science and technology policy in the areas of defense, intelligence, arms control, military space, technology transfer, emergency preparedness, telecommunications, and the security disciplines.

"Ms. Van Cleave has also served on the staff of the U.S. House of Representatives. During 1989, she was Minority Counsel to the Committee on Science, Space, and Technology, with responsibility for overall policy and legislative strategy development. From 1981 through 1987, Ms. Van Cleave was assistant for defense and foreign policy to Congressman Jack Kemp (R-NY), serving concurrently as national security assistant to the House Republican Conference and staff member, House Appropriations Subcommittee on Foreign Operations.

"Prior to moving to Washington, Ms. Van Cleave was an associate with the Los Angeles law firm of Horvitz and Greines, specializing in appellate advocacy. She holds Master of Arts and Bachelor of Arts degrees in International Relations from the University of Southern California (U.S.C.), and a Juris Doctorate degree from the U.S.C. School of Law. Ms. Van Cleave is a member of the bar associations of the State of California and the District of Columbia."

SourceWatch Resources

 * Department of Homeland Security
 * homeland security
 * intelligence community
 * Office of the National Counterintelligence Executive (ONCE).