President Biden Announces Key National Security Nominations
WASHINGTON – Today, President Joe Biden announced his intent to nominate the following four individuals to serve in key national security roles:
- Shannon Corless, Nominee for Assistant Secretary for Intelligence and Analysis, Department of Treasury
- Carrie Ricci, Nominee for General Counsel of the Army, Department of Defense
- Douglas Bush, Nominee for Assistant Secretary of the Army for Acquisition, Logistics, and Technology, Department of Defense
- Ashish Vazirani, Nominee for Deputy Under Secretary of Defense for Personnel and Readiness, Department of Defense
Shannon Corless, Nominee for Assistant Secretary for Intelligence and Analysis, Department of Treasury
Shannon Ratliff Corless is a career intelligence professional with nearly 20 years of experience culminating in senior executive leadership responsibilities. She currently serves as the Intelligence Community Executive and National Intelligence Manager for Economic Security and Financial Intelligence at the Office of the Director of National Intelligence (ODNI). In this role she leads interagency and foreign partnership activities related to economic security, energy security, export controls, investment security, sanctions, supply chain, telecommunications, threat finance, and trade.
Prior to this role, Ms. Corless served as the Director of the Investment Security Group at ODNI’s National Intelligence Council, where she was responsible for leading and coordinating multi-agency intelligence assessments in support of investment security reviews, such as those led by the Committee on Foreign Investment in the United States. She began her government career at the Office of Naval Intelligence working on South Asian maritime security affairs. A native of Tampa, Florida, Ms. Corless received her Bachelor of Arts in international affairs from the Florida State University, and a Masters in Business Administration from the University of Tampa. Ms. Corless resides in Washington, DC with her husband and two children.
Carrie Ricci, Nominee for General Counsel of the Army, Department of Defense
Carrie Ricci currently serves as Associate General Counsel for the U.S. Department of Agriculture, where she leads a legal team supporting two mission areas: food safety and marketing and regulatory programs. Previously she served as Assistant General Counsel, Office of the General Counsel, Department of Defense Education Activity. Before becoming a career civil servant, Ms. Ricci served in the U.S. Army, retiring as a lieutenant colonel in 2010. Some of Ms. Ricci’s assignments included Assistant General Counsel, U.S. Army Office of the General Counsel; Deputy Staff Judge Advocate, U.S. Army Intelligence and Security Command; Chief, International Law, U.S. Central Command; Administrative Law Attorney, Office of the Judge Advocate General; Trial Counsel and Operational Law Attorney, 4th Infantry Division; and Platoon Leader, Operations DESERT SHIELD and DESERT STORM. In the fall of 2020, Ms. Ricci served as a member of the Fort Hood Independent Review Committee, a five-member panel of Highly Qualified Experts appointed by the Secretary of the Army and the Army Chief of Staff to conduct a review of the Fort Hood command climate and culture, resulting in a 136-page report that has spurred a robust response intended to benefit Fort Hood and the entire Army.
Ms. Ricci is a graduate of Georgetown University and the University of Maryland School of Law. She holds a Master of Laws degree (LL.M.) from The Judge Advocate General’s Legal Center and School, and a second LL.M from the George Washington University School of Law. She is a graduate of the U.S. Army Command and General Staff College and holds a certificate in Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion in the Workplace from the University of South Florida. She resides with her family in Fairfax, VA.
Douglas Bush, Nominee for Assistant Secretary of the Army for Acquisition, Logistics, and Technology, Department of Defense
Douglas R. Bush currently serves as the Acting Assistant Secretary of the Army for Acquisition, Logistics, and Technology where he is responsible for leadership of the Army’s acquisition enterprise, overseeing all Army acquisition programs, and advising the Secretary of the Army on acquisition programs and policies. Prior to serving in the Biden-Harris Administration, he worked as a Congressional staff member for more than eighteen years in a variety of positions in both the Senate and House of Representatives. Most recently, from 2019 to 2021 he served as Deputy Staff Director of the House Armed Services Committee, where he was responsible for committee administration and operations, while also advising Chairman Adam Smith on policy matters. From 2007 to 2018 he served on the House Armed Services Committee as a Professional Staff Member, advising members of the committee on a wide range of acquisition program and policy topics. During this time, he was responsible for analysis and oversight of programs under the jurisdiction of the Tactical Air and Land Forces subcommittee. His areas of focus included Army and Marine Corps aviation, ground combat, and network systems, as well as Air Force and Navy fighter aircraft, unmanned systems, and weapons. In addition, for one year he conducted oversight of programs and policies under the Seapower and Projection Forces subcommittee, such as Navy shipbuilding and Air Force bomber, transport, and tanker aircraft. Finally, for three of his years on the committee he was also part of a team of staff members focused on acquisition policy analysis and legislation, including many Department of Defense acquisition reform efforts.
Prior to joining the House Armed Services Committee staff, he served as Legislative Director for Congressman Neil Abercrombie, Military Legislative Assistant for Congressman Jim Cooper, and Legislative Correspondent for Senator Bill Nelson. In those roles he advised all three members on a range of defense and foreign policy issues and associated legislation. Before working for Congress, he began his career in public service as an armor officer in the Army, where he served in the 24th Infantry Division and 3rd Infantry Division, both at Fort Stewart, Georgia. He holds a Bachelor of Science Degree from the United States Military Academy and a Master of Arts in Security Studies Degree from Georgetown University.
Ashish Vazirani, Nominee for Deputy Under Secretary of Defense for Personnel and Readiness, Department of Defense
Ashish Vazirani is the Principal of A2O Strategies, LLC where he provides advisory services to commercial and non-profit, high growth and large enterprises, on the development, implementation, and execution of growth strategies. Most recently, Vazirani was Executive Director and CEO of the National Military Family Association (NMFA), where he provided strategic and operational oversight, and direction for all aspects of NMFA’s advocacy and programing to support military families. During his tenure NMFA regained its four-star charity rating and expanded programming, including a child care fee relief program. Before joining NMFA, he led development and programming at the Armed Services YMCA (ASYMCA) where he ensured implementation and measurement of standardized programs serving junior enlisted military families. Vazirani was also selected to serve as a Member of the National Academies of Sciences, Engineering and Medicine’s Committee on the Well-Being of Military Families. Prior to his work with the ASYMCA, he spent 22 years as a management consultant working with leading high tech and pharmaceutical companies to create transformational change while delivering customer-centric solutions and profitable growth. Vazirani served on active duty in the United States Navy as a Submarine Officer from 1986 to 1993.
Vazirani holds a Bachelor’s degree in Mechanical Engineering from Vanderbilt University, a Master of Engineering from the McCormick School of Engineering at Northwestern University, and a M.B.A. from the Kellogg School of Management at Northwestern University. His family immigrated to the United States when he was 3 years old. He grew up in Silver Spring, Maryland where he and his wife of 26 years, Deborah, currently reside. They have an adult son and daughter. Vazirani is the son of a combat wounded, Vietnam-era Marine and the father of a currently serving Marine.
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