Ambassador Tina Kaidanow was a top U.S. national security leader for 26 years, with vast experience in political-military affairs and counterterrorism. At the Department of Defense from 2018-2019, where she served as Senior Advisor to the Under Secretary for Acquisition and Sustainment, Ambassador Kaidanow established future-oriented relationships with foreign partners designed to enhance U.S. capabilities via cooperative programs in R&D, production and sustainment of weapons systems and related equipment. As Acting Assistant Secretary of State for Political-Military Affairs from 2016-2018, Ambassador Kaidanow headed a 400-person organization responsible for all aspects of U.S. defense trade, including approval of $200 billion annually in arms transfers to foreign partners through FMS and commercial sales and allocation of $7 billion/year in bilateral security assistance. She streamlined the cumbersome defense export architecture, countered Russian and Chinese supply chain dependencies, and fostered nascent defense trade ties with emerging partners to help them navigate U.S. processes. Earlier in her career, Ambassador Kaidanow was the Senate-confirmed Counterterrorism Coordinator at the State Department, served as National Security Council Director for Southeast European Affairs, was the first U.S. Ambassador to Kosovo, and served as the Principal Deputy Assistant Secretary for Europe.