WASHINGTON — PNSR is pleased to welcome Washington veteran Nancy Bearg as Senior Advisor. Ms. Bearg brings a wealth of expertise to PNSR with extensive high-level experience in foreign policy, defense, and economic development in the US government, Congress and the non-profit sector. She has worked on policy issues in multiple areas including conflict prevention, management, intervention, and post-conflict peace building; strategic and conventional forces; peacekeeping and humanitarian operations; refugees; United Nations; poverty and development; US-Muslim relations; and public diplomacy.

Ms. Bearg’s distinguished career includes serving from 1981-1982 as Assistant to the Vice President for National Security Affairs to then Vice-President George H.W. Bush – the first woman to do so – and Director for International Programs and Public Diplomacy on the National Security Council staff, 1989-1993. From 1978 to 1981, she worked in the Pentagon, first as Director of Policy Analysis for Near East, Africa, and South Asia, then as Principal Deputy Assistant Secretary of the Air Force for Manpower, Resources and Military Personnel. In an earlier legislative career, Ms. Bearg served as the first woman professional staff member on the Senate Armed Services Committee, 1971 -1975 and worked at the Congressional Budget Office.

After leaving government, Ms. Bearg served as Director of the International Peace, Security and Prosperity Program at the Aspen Institute; as President and CEO of EnterpriseWorks/VITA, an international development non-profit organization; and as Senior Advisor at Search for Common Ground on a US-Muslim relations initiative.

Ms. Bearg, who is currently writing a book on sabbaticals, is the author/editor of five books published by The Aspen Institute as well as earlier publications on tactical air forces, peacekeeping operations, and the Balkans. She is on the Advisory Board of the Alliance for Peacebuilding, is a longtime member of the Council on Foreign Relations, and previously served on the executive board of Women in International Security (WIIS). She holds a BA from Willamette University in Oregon and a Masters in Public Administration from the John F. Kennedy School of Government at Harvard University.

In welcoming Ms. Bearg, PNSR Executive Director James R. Locher III said, “Nancy’s impressive analytical skills, illustrious career and wide range of knowledge and diverse experience make her a valuable addition to PNSR. I am delighted to have her on board as PNSR works towards implementation of its recommendations for reforming the US national security system.”