Ms. Stephanie Koeshall is the Acting Deputy Assistant Secretary of Defense for Homeland Defense Integration and Defense Support of Civil Authorities in the Office of the Under Secretary of Defense for Policy (OUSDP). In this role, Ms. Koeshall integrates homeland defense priorities into national and Department level strategy, plans, and exercises. Stephanie manages a portfolio including homeland defense capabilities, domestic incident management, and Policy participation in the National Exercise Program. She is the OSD Policy interlocutor with the interagency on homeland defense and security issues.

Ms. Koeshall joined OUSDP in 2018, serving as a Special Assistant and then Chief of Staff to the Under Secretary of Defense for Policy. On behalf of the Under Secretary, she provided strategic management and guidance to Policy offices including Special Operations, Low-Intensity Conflict; Strategy, Plans, and Capabilities; and Homeland Defense and Global Security. In 2020, she received the Office of the Secretary of Defense Exceptional Public Service Award for her work supporting the implementation of the National Defense Strategy and Missile Defense Review.

During her tenure with OUSDP, Ms. Koeshall supported the Security Cooperation office by developing assessment, monitoring, and evaluation (AM&E) standards for Congressionally mandated reforms. She oversaw the execution of the AM&E program budget including assisting Combatant Command implementation of institutional capacity building requirements to comply with the Foreign Aid Transparency and Accountability Act. In support of the Under Secretary of Defense for Policy, Ms. Koeshall provided strategic analysis and recommendation on key national security issues including missile defense, nuclear modernization, and homeland defense.

Ms. Koeshall was detailed to Operation Artemis as the Movement and Capacity Director for unaccompanied minor emergency intake sites across the nation. In this role, she reported to the National Security Council on the intake and placement of minors impacted by the emergency at the southern border. Following this assignment, Stephanie deployed to Operation Allies Welcome and established receiving sites at the Washington, DC, Philadelphia, and Chicago airports for unaccompanied Afghan minors and culminated her deployment supporting the USG effort to house and re-settle Afghan evacuees.

Prior to joining the OUSDP, Ms. Koeshall served at the Missile Defense Agency as a Senior Advisor to the Chief of Staff. She oversaw the Director’s Action Group, managed the Agency’s senior analyst and operations contracts, and advised Senior Leadership on strategic messaging for missile defense priorities.

Ms. Koeshall began her career at the National Institute for Public Policy as an analyst working on nuclear deterrence, missile defense, and counter proliferation issues. From 2008-2009, Ms. Koeshall served as an Assistant to the Commissioner on the Congressional Commission on the Strategic Posture of the United States.

Ms. Koeshall earned a Bachelor of Science degree from Evangel University in Government and International Multicultural Studies and a Master of Science from Missouri State University in Defense and Strategic Studies.