Jessica A. Lewis

Former senior level official at the State Department. Deep understanding of defense trade and national security. Versatile connector on the Hill, with executive agencies and in the private sector

Jessica Lewis is a leader in foreign policy and defense, specializing in international arms sales. Her senior level experience in the State Department and nearly 20 years in the Senate and House built her extensive knowledge of the policy, political and legislative levers that determine national security outcomes. She also posses a deep understanding of the arms sales process from both the executive and congressional viewpoints, that allows her to guide clients through complicated issue developments across the federal government.

As the Senate-confirmed assistant secretary of state for political-military affairs, Jessica led the U.S. State Department’s political-military response to unprecedented international crises and oversaw foreign military and commercial sales of defense articles. She worked on critical national security issues including in recent conflict areas such as Ukraine, Europe and the Middle East, as well as US policy in the Indo-Pacific and Taiwan.

Jessica spent five years as the staff director of the Senate Foreign Relations Committee and she also served as the foreign policy and national security advisor to the late Senate Majority Leader Sen. Harry Reid (D-NV) for nine years. During that time, she managed the defense, State Department, and intelligence authorizations and appropriations bills on the Senate floor. Her work is also bolstered from her time as a senior staffer on the House International Relations Committee.

Jessica serves on the Board of Halo Trust, USA, a humanitarian organization that works to clear landmines and other explosive devices left behind by conflicts. She is also a Senior Non-Resident Fellow at the Institute for Indo-Pacific Security. She was also awarded the Distinguished Honor Award from the State Department for her leadership advancing US security partnerships through strategic arms transfers, critical military aid, and innovative programs.

Education

M.P.A., 2003, Harvard University, John F. Kennedy School of Government

M.A.T., 1994 Johns Hopkins University

B.A., 1992, Haverford College

COMMUNITY INVOLVEMENT

Non-Resident Fellow, Institute for Indo-Pacific Security

Board of Directors, The Halo Trust USA

AWARDS

Distinguished Honor Award, United States Department of State, 2024