Kathy Roth-Douquet
Kathy Roth-Douquet is an advocate for the role of the military in civil society; she is an author, nonprofit leader, attorney, and former government official. Kathy is the CEO of Blue Star Families, the largest Chapter-based nonprofit organization serving active duty of all branches, Guard and Reserve, wounded, and transitioning veterans and their families. Blue Star Families mission is to strengthen military families and our nation by connecting communities and fostering leadership to millions of people.

Kathy Roth-Douquet received her B.A. from Bryn Mawr College, her MPA in International Affairs from the Woodrow Wilson School at Princeton University where she held a Woodrow Wilson Fellowship, and a JD from the University of San Diego School of Law, Magna Cum Laude and the Order of the Coif. While serving at the Pentagon as Principal Assistant Deputy Under Secretary of Defense (Acting) she received the Secretary of Defense Medal for Outstanding Public Service for her work on defense reform. She is also a recipient of President George H. W. Bush’s Daily Point of Light Award, and most recently received the Chief of Staff of the Army Outstanding Civilian Service Award.

Kathy is a commentator on patriotism, civil-military affairs, the value of service, and the experience of military families. She has appeared on the Today Show, Fox and Friends, CNN, NPR, has been a frequent contributor to USA Today, and is a frequent public speaker. She is an author, most notably of “AWOL: The Unexcused Absence of America’s Upper Classes from Military Service and How it Hurts Our Country” (Collins, 2006). She is a practicing attorney, a member of the Small Business Association Advisory Board, and is Co-chair of the Bipartisan Policy Center Defense Reform Task Force. She is a military spouse of 18 years, four deployments, and 9 moves. She lives with her husband and two children in Northern Virginia.

CISS MIL 101:
The Military 101 Lunch-timer series raises awareness and understanding of what services the military and its respective branches provide for our country’s national security and provides a background in basic “military literacy” for students who would like to learn more about the military, but may not have the background to feel comfortable with military terminology, operations, and culture.

Center for International Security Studies:
The Center for International Security Studies provides a home for the study and debate of national and international security at Princeton University and supports a variety of educational, research, enrichment, and outreach activities with the intent of generating new knowledge on issues of fundamental importance and educating the next generation of strategic thinkers and decision makers. It also seeks to establish research and policy links with other institutions around the world. Professors Aaron L. Friedberg and G. John Ikenberry serve as Co-Directors of the Center.