Visiting Fellow Mara Karlin

Mara Karlin, PhD is a professor at Johns Hopkins University-School of Advanced International Studies (SAIS) and a visiting fellow at the Brookings Institution. She served in national security roles for six U.S. secretaries of defense, advising on strategic planning, defense budgeting, the future of conflict, and regional affairs. Most recently, she served as assistant secretary of defense for strategy, plans, and capabilities, leading the development and implementation of the 2022 National Defense Strategy. She advised the secretary of defense on forces, plans, posture, emerging capabilities, and security cooperation, including historic modernization of U.S. force posture in Asia and AUKUS implementation. Previously, she led DoD’s relations with nearly 150 countries. Karlin was on the defense policy team for the Biden-Harris transition. Karlin wrote two books on military history and defense policy, and is a recipient of the Secretary of Defense Distinguished Public Service Medal.