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Immediate Release

Senior Executive Service Announcements

Secretary of Defense Jim Mattis has announced the following Department of Defense Senior Executive Service and presidentially appointed, Senate confirmed service appointments and assignments: 

Thomas A. Alexander has been selected for appointment to the Senior Executive Service, and for assignment as the deputy assistant secretary of defense for counter narcotics and global threats. Alexander was most recently chief counsel to the U.S. House of Representatives’ Committee on Foreign Affairs. He is a graduate of Thomas Aquinas College and the Ave Maria School of Law.

Anita K. Blair has been selected for appointment to the Senior Executive Service, and for assignment as the deputy assistant secretary of defense for civilian personnel policy. Blair was most recently the deputy assistant secretary for human resources, and chief human capital officer, for the Department of the Treasury. She is a graduate of the University of Michigan and the University of Virginia School of Law. 

Timothy R. Jost has been selected for appointment to the Senior Executive Service, and for assignment as the comptroller’s director for resource issues. Jost was most recently with Red Curve Solutions, a consulting company managing finance and compliance.  He is a graduate of Arizona State University.

Derek J. Maurer has been selected for appointment to the Senior Executive Service, and for assignment as deputy assistant secretary of Defense for countering weapons of mass destruction. Maurer was most recently the confirmations lead on the Department of Defense Beachhead Team. He is a graduate of the University of Washington and Georgetown University Law Center.

Christopher M. Shank has been selected for appointment to the Senior Executive Service, and for assignment as the senior advisor to the secretary and under secretary of the Air Force. Shank was most recently policy and coalitions director for the House Science, Space, and Technology Committee. He is a graduate of the University of Notre Dame and the University of Colorado.

Amber Smith has been selected for appointment to the Senior Executive Service, and for assignment as the deputy assistant to the secretary of defense for outreach. Smith was most recently an advisor for the Department of Defense and the Department of Veterans’ Affairs on the presidential transition team. She is a graduate of Embry Riddle Aeronautical University and Eastern Kentucky University. 

Molly L. Walsh has been selected for appointment to the Senior Executive Service, and for assignment as the senior advisor to the under secretary of defense for acquisition, technology and logistics. Walsh was most recently a senior policy and research analyst at the Logistics Management Institute, where she provided strategic guidance and policy support to government clients including the Department of Defense and the Department of Homeland Security. She is a graduate of the University of Southern California and Fordham University.