White House Author

Laura S. H. Holgate currently serves as Special Assistant to the President and Senior Director for Weapons of Mass Destruction Terrorism and Threat Reduction on the National Security Council. In this role, she oversees and coordinates the development of national policies and programs to reduce global threats from nuclear, biological and chemical weapons; detect, identify, secure and eliminate nuclear materials; prevent malicious use of biotechnology; and secure the civilian nuclear fuel cycle. She also acts as U.S. Sherpa to the Nuclear Security Summits and co-leads the effort to advance the President’s Global Health Security Agenda. Prior to the NSC, she held a leadership position within the Nuclear Threat Initiative (2001-2009), and also served in the Department of Energy and Department of Defense (1993-2001).