Breaking: Woman of Cameroon origin appointed US Assistant Secretary of Defense

Biden Nominates Laura Taylor-Kale to Lead DOD’s Industrial Base Policy Office.

President Joe Biden has nominated Laura Taylor-Kale for the role of assistant secretary of defense for industrial base policy.

Deborah Rosenblum, the DOD’s assistant secretary for nuclear, chemical, and biological defense programs, is currently performing the duties of the industrial base policy chief.

Congress created the assistant secretary for industrial policy role through the National Defense Authorization Act of 2021. In the said role, she conducts research on strategic innovation, industrial policy, the changing nature of work, and the think tank’s Renewing America initiative.

Taylor-Kale currently serves as the fellow for innovation and economic competitiveness at the Council on Foreign Relations, an independent think tank based in New York City, the White House said.

Taylor-Kale earned a bachelor’s degree in economics and anthropology from Smith College, a Master's in Public Affairs degree from Princeton University, a Master of Business Administration degree from New York University, and a doctorate in management science and engineering from Stanford University.

She previously served as an international affairs fellow at CFR and as its deputy director for a workforce-related task force. The announcement came weeks after the Department of Defense reorganized its industrial base policy office, Defense One reported in April.