Kathleen McInnis
Kathleen J. McInnis is a senior fellow and director of the Smart Women, Smart Power Initiative at the Center for Strategic and International Studies (CSIS). Her research areas include the intersection of gender and national security; global security strategy; defense policy; and transatlantic security. Before rejoining the Center, she served as a specialist in international security at the Congressional Research Service (CRS), where she served as a senior expert to Congress on strategic issues including defense policy, military operations, civilian-military relations, irregular warfare, and global strategy. Prior to CRS, she worked as a research consultant at Chatham House in London, writing on NATO and transatlantic security matters. From 2006 to 2009, Dr. McInnis served in the Office of the Secretary of Defense (Policy), working on NATO operations in Afghanistan. During her last time working at CSIS from 2004 to 2006, Dr. McInnis analyzed U.S. nuclear weapons strategy, European security, and transatlantic relations. She also worked as a researcher in the UK House of Commons, focusing on NATO, the European Union, and U.S.-UK political-military relations, from 2001 to 2003. Dr. McInnis is widely published; her articles have featured in major domestic and international outlets. She is the author of two books: How and Why States Defect from Contemporary Military Coalition (Palgrave Macmillan, 2019) and the novel The Heart of War: Misadventures in the Pentagon (Post Hill Press, 2018). Dr. McInnis was awarded her MSc in international relations from the London School of Economics and completed her PhD in war studies at King’s College London.
Media Queries
- H. Andrew Schwartz
- Chief Communications Officer
- 202.775.3242
- aschwartz@csis.org
- Paige Montfort
- Media Relations Manager, External Relations
- 202.775.3173
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In the News
What Has Been Achieved at the NATO Summit?
Kathleen McInnis in NU.nl — July 17, 2023
During wartime, Europe’s strongest leaders are women
Kathleen McInnis in National Journal — March 3, 2023
NATO Facing 'Very Real' Arms Shortage Due to Ukraine War
Kathleen McInnis in Newsweek — December 13, 2022
Defense & Aerospace Podcast [Washington Roundtable Nov 18, ’22]
Kathleen McInnis in Defense and Aerospace Report — November 18, 2022
Why Dictators Are Afraid of Girls: Rethinking Gender and National Security
Kathleen McInnis , Benjamin Jensen , and Jaron S. Wharton in War on the Rocks — November 7, 2022
The National Defense Strategy Ducks Many Issues — Two Stand Out
Kathleen McInnis in Forbes — October 28, 2022
Senate OK's bid by Sweden, Finland to join NATO in response to Russia's invasion of Ukraine
Kathleen McInnis in USA Today — August 3, 2022
How European countries stand on 2% of GDP defence spending
Kathleen McInnis and Daniel Fata in euronews. — July 20, 2022
All Kathleen McInnis Content
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The Pentagon Puzzle
Podcast Episode by Kathleen McInnis — June 28, 2023
Academia vs. the Policy World
Podcast Episode by Kathleen McInnis — June 21, 2023
“Employee No.1” in Homeland Security
Podcast Episode by Kathleen McInnis — June 14, 2023
How to Strike a Deal
Podcast Episode by Kathleen McInnis — June 7, 2023
From Burden Sharing to Responsibility Sharing
Brief by Kathleen McInnis and Daniel Fata — June 7, 2023
The Hollywood Episode
Podcast Episode by Kathleen McInnis — May 31, 2023
Why Male Allies Matter
Podcast Episode by Kathleen McInnis — May 24, 2023
Crunching the Numbers: Mathematician to CEO
Podcast Episode by Kathleen McInnis — May 17, 2023
Mental Resilience: Deploying Tech for Navy SEALS
Podcast Episode by Kathleen McInnis — May 10, 2023
The Establishment of the U.S.-Afghan Women’s Council
Podcast Episode by Kathleen McInnis — May 3, 2023