Mr. Vaccaro formerly Performed the Duties of the Principal Deputy Assistant Secretary of Defense for Industrial Base Policy. In this role, Mr. Vaccaro lead and supported the Department of Defense’s efforts to develop and maintain the U.S. defense industrial base to ensure a secure supply of materials critical to national security.

Prior to this position, Mr. Vaccaro served as the Acting Executive Director, International Cooperation. In this capacity, he advised the Under Secretary of Defense (A&S) and other A&S Principals in managing the Department of Defense’s cooperative relationships with foreign countries. Mr. Vaccaro co-chaired bilateral forums with key European, Indo-Pacific, and Western Hemisphere allies and partners to further international research, development, production, and acquisition armaments cooperation.

Mr. Vaccaro previously served as the Director of the Office of Strategic Industries and Economic Security in the Department of Commerce’s Bureau of Industry and Security (BIS) from 2013-2019. In this position, Mr. Vaccaro was responsible for implementing BIS’s defense trade, industrial base, and foreign investment programs. Mr. Vaccaro regularly represented Commerce on defense trade/conventional arms transfer policy, security cooperation, defense industrial base/economic security, foreign investment, and emergency preparedness issues at National Security Council and interagency meetings, and during engagements with Congress, foreign governments, trade associations, and industry.

Prior to assuming his duties as office director, Mr. Vaccaro served in other senior positions within the Office of Strategic Industries and Economic Security. Before joining Commerce in 2000, Mr. Vaccaro held government affairs and research positions with international trade and consulting organizations in Washington, DC.

Mr. Vaccaro has been a member of the Senior Executive Service since 2013. Mr. Vaccaro is a recipient of the Office of the Secretary of Defense's Medal for Exceptional Civilian Service. While at Commerce, he received meritorious service awards for his role in implementing export control reform and for his contributions to emergency preparedness activities. Mr. Vaccaro holds undergraduate and graduate degrees from Georgetown University’s School of Foreign Service and National Security Studies Program. Mr. Vaccaro is also a distinguished graduate of the National Defense University’s Industrial College of the Armed Forces.