Ellen Lord

Ellen Lord serves on multiple public and private defense tech and dual-use industry boards in addition to participating as a Senior Fellow at Johns Hopkins University Applied Physics Laboratory and as an advisor at M.I.T. Lincoln Laboratory. Non-profit activities include working with the U.S. Naval Institute as Vice-Chairman.

Ellen was Senate confirmed as the first Under Secretary of Defense for Acquisition and Sustainment, leading the Department of Defense’s personnel, policy and processes for acquisition of products and services, lifecycle sustainment and the security and resiliency of the defense industrial base. She is recognized for addressing cyber vulnerabilities and incorporating an aggressive cybersecurity posture into acquisition policy.

Ellen leverages her experience to focus on national and economic security issues at the nexus of industrial and government. In industry she is respected for strategic perspective, operational know-how, and the ability to recruit, develop and retain critical talent. Upon leaving her government position in 2021, Ellen established EML Enterprises, LLC, providing advisory services that leverage her industry and government experience while serving on private and public boards. Prior to her government appointment, Ellen was President and CEO of Textron Systems, a subsidiary of Textron Corporation, supporting defense, homeland security, aerospace, infrastructure protection, and customers around the world.