David Stiefel

Background

David Stiefel is the Director for Biodefense on the National Security Council (NSC). At the NSC, David is focused on the U.S. Government’s strategic approach to countering biological weapons, enhancing pandemic preparedness, and achieving global health security. David led President Biden’s biopreparedness review, which culminated in the signing and release of National Security Memorandum -15 and the National Biodefense Strategy and Implementation Plan. On the NSC, David also focuses on efforts to improve our capabilities to respond faster, more efficiently, more effectively, and more equitably to biological incidents. David also played a key role in the drafting, signing, and release of National Security Memorandum -16 on Strengthening the Security and Resilience of U.S. Food and Agriculture. In addition to his work on the NSC, David is an adjunct faculty at Georgetown University within Biomedical Graduate Education and an adjunct faculty at William & Mary within the Government Department.

David previously worked as an Environmental Consultant, toured full time professionally in a band, worked as a defense contractor for the Defense Threat Reduction Agency – focusing on Counter-Weapons of Mass Destruction Systems/Technology and supporting the Autonomy Community of Interest, and worked as a Presidential Management Fellow, first at the United States Department of Agriculture’s (USDA) Natural Resources Conservation Service and subsequently for USDA’s Office of Homeland Security. With USDA, David’s portfolio focused on defending against agroterrorism, biodefense policy and coordination, critical infrastructure security and resilience, global health security, and the Biological Weapons Convention.

 David has a Bachelor’s degree in Geology & Environmental Sciences, Media Arts & Design, and Jazz Studies from James Madison University (’07); a Master’s degree from Georgetown University in Biohazardous Threat Agents and Emerging Infections Disease (’15); and he is currently a PhD Candidate at the University of Virginia in the doctoral program for Foreign Affairs. His PhD dissertation is focused on taboo against the utilization of biological weapons.