As of January 20, 2021, Leonor Tomero served as the Deputy Assistant Secretary of Defense for Nuclear and Missile Defense Policy in the Office of the Secretary of Defense, supporting the Under Secretary of Defense for Policy and the Assistant Secretary of Defense for Strategy, Plans, and Capabilities by developing strategies, informing policies, and conducting oversight of nuclear deterrence policy, arms control and missile defense policy.

For over a decade, she was House Armed Services Committee Democratic professional staff lead for nuclear deterrence, nuclear weapons, nonproliferation, military space, and missile defense. In that capacity, she had responsibility for drafting and negotiating over 100 provisions and authorizing over $65 billion each year in eleven annual National Defense Authorization Acts, with regard to military space and related intelligence assets, nuclear forces and production capacity, hypersonic missiles, missile defense, non-proliferation, arms control, and nuclear clean-up programs.

Prior to joining the Committee, she was Director of Nuclear Non-Proliferation at the Center for Arms Control and Nonproliferation, responsible for analysis, Congressional education, Track II programs, and public and media outreach related to nuclear weapons, nonproliferation, missile defense and space policy. She also served on the congressional staffs of Rep. Shelley Berkley (D-NV) and Senator Harry Reid (D-NV) working on nuclear waste and environmental issues.

Ms. Tomero holds a B.A. in Government from Cornell University, an M.A. in Security Studies from Georgetown University and a J.D. cum laude from American University’s Washington College of Law, and was a term-member on the Council on Foreign Relations.