Biographies

Ms. Theresa Whelan joined the Office of the Under Secretary of Defense for Intelligence and Security (OUSDI&S), assuming the duties of the Director Defense Intelligence for Sensitive Activities and Special Programs, in April 2023. She came to OUSDI&S after having served for over two years on detail from DoD to ODNI as a Senior Policy Advisor to the PDDNI focused on the operationalization of intelligence. She is a career member of the Department of Defense (DoD) Senior Executive Service with over thirty-six years of experience in the defense policy, defense intelligence and national intelligence communities.

Prior to joining OUSDI&S, Ms. Whelan spent 32 years in the Office of the Under Secretary of Defense for Policy (OUSDP), serving in multiple positions. Beginning in June 2017, Ms. Whelan served for over three years as the Principal Deputy Assistant Secretary of Defense (PDASD) for Homeland Defense and Global Security. Prior to that assignment, Ms. Whelan Performed the Duties of the Under Secretary of Defense for Policy, from January 2017 until June 2017, during the transition between the Obama and Trump Administrations. In that capacity she advised the Secretary of Defense on all matters pertaining to the development and execution of U.S. national defense policy and strategy.

From July 2015 through January 2017, Ms. Whelan served as the PDASD for Special Operations and Low Intensity Conflict (SOLIC). She was also dual hatted as the Acting Assistant Secretary of Defense for SOLIC from March 2016 to January 2017.

In another detail assignment from DoD to the Intelligence Community, Ms. Whelan served as the National Intelligence Officer for Africa on the Director for National Intelligence's National Intelligence Council from November 2011 until June 2015.

Between 2003-2011, she held three separate Deputy Assistant Secretary of Defense (DASD) positions within the Office of the Under Secretary of Defense for Policy: DASD, Homeland Defense Domains and Defense Support to Civil Authorities; DASD, Defense Continuity and Crisis Management; and DASD, African Affairs.

Ms. Whelan has a Master of Arts in National Security Studies from Georgetown University, a Master of Science in National Security Strategy from the National War College, and a Bachelor of Arts in International Relations with a minor in Russian Studies from the College of William and Mary.