WHITE HOUSE TAPS NEW WMD CZAR, BROADENS ROLE OF POSITION

Senior National Security Staff official Elizabeth Sherwood-Randall has been named the White House Coordinator for Defense Policy, Countering Weapons of Mass Destruction, and Arms Control, a new position that encompasses the duties of former WMD czar Gary Samore. While Sherwood-Randall’s duties will include WMD and arms control, the job will also be broadened to include defense policy issues. Sherwood-Randall, who will begin her new job April 8, had previously served as the Special Assistant to the President and Senior Director for European Affairs. “As one of the President’s closest advisors for the past four years, Liz’s leadership and advice have been instrumental as we have successfully strengthened our alliances and partnerships across Europe, helped to revitalize NATO, and worked with Europe to advance the President’s global agenda,” National Security Advisor Tom Donilon said in a statement. “Liz brings deep expertise and a track record of accomplishment in defense issues and in proliferation prevention. The President will look to her to bring significant energy and capability to his second term as we pursue the ambitious goals he set forth in his Prague speech in 2009 and prepare our military to defend the American people and our allies against the threats we face today and in the future.”

Sherwood-Randall played a significant role in the denuclearization of Ukraine, Kazakhstan and Belarus as the Deputy Assistant Secretary of Defense for Russia, Ukraine and Eurasia during the Clinton Administration. She’s also worked at Harvard, Stanford, the Council on Foreign Relations, the Brookings Institution, and was a foreign affairs and defense policy advisor to Vice President Joe Biden during his time in the Senate.