Kenneth E. Baker
Dean of College Development, Distinguished Professor, and Department of Energy Chair
College of International Security Affairs
National Defense University

In addition to his development and teaching duties, Kenneth E. Baker became the CISA Department of Energy Chair in July, 2011.

Before arriving at NDU, Baker served as the Principal Assistant Deputy Administrator for the National Nuclear Security Administration’s Office of Defense Nuclear Nonproliferation since its creation in March 2000. Prior to that, he served as Principal Deputy Assistant Secretary and Acting Assistant Secretary for eight years with the Department of Energy’s predecessor organizations. During his 18-year tenure, his organization grew dramatically in work scope, geographic extent, number of personnel, and budget; today, it is roughly ten times larger in every respect than it was in the immediate post-Cold War era. Throughout his career, Baker has been masterful at anticipating requirements, as well as at garnering the resources and personnel needed to meet urgent, emerging and enduring national security requirements.

Baker personally directed and supervised the expansion of the Department of Energy’s three-billion-dollar nuclear nonproliferation programs to more than 130 foreign countries over the past decade. He was instrumental in creating the vision that led to the introduction of U.S. nuclear security upgrades at hundreds of military and civilian nuclear material handling and warhead storage facilities throughout Russia and the republics of the former Soviet Union after the fall of the Berlin Wall.

Since 2001, his organization has been focused on creating a sustainable security culture in Russia, and has expanded its efforts to create a second line of defense by installing radiation detection equipment at hundreds of international border crossings in ever-larger concentric circles around Central Asia, the Caucasus, and Eastern Europe. An important subcategory of this work consists of installing radiation detection equipment at major sea container Megaports around the world, in order to secure the international supply chain and prevent a terrorist nuclear weapon from being detonated in or transported through an American sea port.

Baker has also been the guiding force behind a significant effort to strengthen international nuclear safeguards, which will play an important role in improving the International Atomic Energy Agency’s ability to prevent nuclear proliferation as the world increasingly turns to nuclear energy to satisfy its growing demand for electricity without contributing to climate change. He has also played a major role in strengthening foreign export control systems and in harmonizing the rules and practices of international high-technology trade, especially in the nuclear arena.

Baker has also presided over a significant expansion of his Department’s research and development into the radiation detection technologies the Nation will need to perform a wide range of counterterrorism and nuclear forensics functions. He also created the Global Threat Reduction Initiative, which is playing a significant role in meeting the challenge laid down by President Obama in his Prague speech to secure all vulnerable nuclear materials around the world within four years.

Before joining NNSA, Baker served as Executive Advisor to the Senior Vice President for Command, Control and Communications at Booz, Allen and Hamilton. During his distinguished military career, he served as Director of Plans, Operations and Security at the White House (1989-1992); Director of Strategic Operations, Office of the Secretary of Defense (1983-1989); Single Integrated Operational Plan Advisor to the President (1979-1983); and Chief, Tactics Division, Strategic Air Command Headquarters (1975-1979). He held a variety of other key positions within the Strategic Air Command from 1963-1975.

Baker has degrees in business administration and psychology from the University of Louisville, and is a military recipient of the Defense Distinguished Service Award, the Defense Superior Service Award, and two Defense Meritorious Service Awards. He also received two President’s Distinguished Service Awards for Senior Executive level service at the Department of Energy. In 2011 he was awarded the prestigious Roger Jones Award by American University for executive leadership in the Federal government.