Dr. David E. Spencer Professor of National Security Affairs

Dr. Spencer earned his PhD in political science from George Washington University where he specialized in Latin American politics. Dr. Spencer grew up in Latin America, living in Chile, Costa Rica, Colombia, Venezuela, and Guatemala.

Dr. Spencer has specialized in the study of Latin American insurgencies. He spent five years working in El Salvador during the recent civil war, and has spent the last nine years working in a variety of capacities in relation to the conflict in Colombia.

Dr. Spencer has worked for a number of defense think tanks to include the Center for Naval Analyses (CNA) and Science Applications International Corporation (SAIC).

Prior to accepting the position at CHDS, Dr. Spencer was the Senior Director for Combating Terrorism at Hicks & Associates. In this capacity he provided support for a variety of projects for United States Southern Command (USSOUTHCOM).