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Seminar: Mark Esper - Former Secretary of Defense - Dec. 15

Mark Esper

A Future Insight Seminar discussing our changing world, global trends and the value of government service
Dr. Mark T. Esper
Former U.S. Secretary of Defense

Wednesday, Dec. 15
4:30-5:30 p.m.
Zoom Webinar - Registration Required

Open to CU Boulder students, faculty and staff only.
Register with your colorado.edu email address.

Please join Mark Sirangelo as he welcomes Dr. Mark T. Esper, Former U.S. Secretary of Defense, to CU Boulder for a very special off the record talk and discussion on Dr. Esper’s views regarding our changing world, what will it look like in the coming years and why government service is still important today.

The Honorable Mark T. Esper was sworn in as the 27th Secretary of Defense and served in that capacity until Nov. 9, 2020. He previously served as Acting Secretary of Defense and as the Secretary of the Army.

He is a 1986 graduate of the United States Military Academy. Upon completion of Ranger and Pathfinder training, he served in the 101st Airborne Division and participated in the 1990-91 Gulf War. He retired from the U.S. Army in 2007 after spending 10 years on active duty and 11 years in the National Guard and Army Reserve.

Dr. Esper is a recipient of the Department of Defense Medal for Distinguished Public Service. Among his many military awards and decorations are the Legion of Merit, Bronze Star Medal, the Kuwait Liberation Medal, Kuwait Liberation Medal-Saudi Arabia, and the Combat Infantryman Badge.

After leaving active duty, he served as Chief of Staff at The Heritage Foundation, as the legislative director to former Senator Chuck Hagel, as a senior professional staff member on the Senate Foreign Relations and Senate Government Affairs committees, policy director for the House Armed Services Committee, and national security advisor for former Senate Majority Leader Bill Frist. He also served as the Deputy Assistant Secretary of Defense for Negotiations Policy at the Pentagon.

Dr. Esper has also held roles as the Chief Operating Officer and Executive Vice President of Defense and International Affairs at Aerospace Industries Association, as the Executive Vice President for the U.S. Chamber of Commerce’s Global Intellectual Property Center and as the Vice President for Government Relations at the Raytheon Company.

Dr. Esper holds a Master of Public Administration degree from the John F. Kennedy School of Government, and a doctorate in Public Policy from George Washington University.

Mark N. Sirangelo created and hosts the CU Future Insight Seminar Series as CU’s Entrepreneur-Scholar in Residence.