Press Release
CNA Officially Welcomes Julia McQuaid as Vice President of Strategy, Policy, Plans, and Programs Division
The CNA Corporation today announced that Julia McQuaid has formally accepted the position of vice president of its Strategy, Policy, Plans, and Programs Division. McQuaid has been serving as the acting vice president for the past six months. CNA operates the Center for Naval Analyses — the federally funded research and development center (FFRDC) of the Department of the Navy — as well as the Institute for Public Research.
“We are excited to continue to have Julia serving the division with her extensive expertise on a range of national security challenges,” said Jeffery Peterson, acting executive vice president of the Center for Naval Analyses. “She has broad experience related to U.S. partners and allies in key regions of the world.”
McQuaid has more than 20 years of experience supporting the U.S. government on a range of national security challenges. This work has included research and analysis of adversary threats, with a focus on counterterrorism; defense and Navy strategy; maritime security and naval operations; climate security; and working with partners and allies — especially in the Middle East, Africa, and Europe. Prior to taking on her current position, she was the director of CNA’s Strategy and Policy Analysis Program.
“I am honored to accept this position at CNA,” said McQuaid. “I am looking forward to continuing to contribute to our national security research and analysis in this new role.”
In recent research, McQuaid has examined the complex links between climate change, conflict, and instability globally. She works closely with Pentagon offices and combatant commands as they integrate climate change into strategic and operational planning processes, including theater security cooperation. Her analytical leadership has also been critical to wargames aimed at understanding and identifying solutions to global challenges such as strategic competition and natural resource competition. She is a consultant on the Defense Science Board in the Department of Defense and supported its 2023 Summer Study on Climate Change and Global Security.
McQuaid has a Master of Arts in Arab studies from Georgetown University and a Bachelor of Arts in French and government from Franklin & Marshall College.
CNA is a nonprofit research and analysis organization dedicated to the safety and security of the nation. It operates the Center for Naval Analyses—the federally funded research and development center (FFRDC) of the Department of the Navy—as well as the Institute for Public Research. CNA develops actionable solutions to complex problems of national importance. With nearly 700 scientists, analysts, and professional staff, CNA takes a real-world approach to gathering data. Its unique Field Program places analysts on aircraft carriers and military bases, in squad rooms and crisis centers, working side by side with operators and decision-makers around the world. CNA supports naval operations, fleet readiness, and strategic competition. Its non-defense research portfolio includes criminal justice, homeland security, and data management.
Note to writers and editors: CNA is not an acronym and is correctly referenced as "CNA, a research organization in Arlington, VA."