Thomas DiNanno

Thomas DiNanno is an adjunct fellow at Hudson Institute. Prior to joining Hudson, Mr. DiNanno served as a professional staff member on the House Permanent Select Committee on Intelligence. He served in the State Department’s Arms Control, Verification, and Compliance Bureau as deputy assistant secretary of state from 2018–19 and acting assistant secretary of state from 2019–20. In his roles focusing on deterrence and disarmament, he led or managed several dialogues and treaty negotiations on behalf of the US on pressing foreign policy matters, such as the New Start Treaty extension negotiations in Vienna; the implementation and oversight of missile defense and space policy; and the US delegation to the Organisation for the Prohibition of Chemical Weapons (OPCW) in the Hague and the Conference on Disarmament in Geneva. He also led US extended deterrence engagement with Japan, the Republic of Korea, and Australia and led the 2019 US–China Space Security Dialogue in Beijing.

Previously, Mr. DiNanno was assistant administrator at the Department of Homeland Security’s Federal Emergency Management Agency, where he oversaw nearly $5 billion in counterterrorism programs and national preparedness initiatives that focused on resilient public safety communications systems, national continuity planning, and cybersecurity initiatives.

Mr. DiNanno served as senior fellow for homeland security and critical infrastructure protection at the International Assessment and Strategy Center from 2008–17. From 2004–07, Mr. DiNanno served as deputy assistant secretary for critical infrastructure protection at the US Department of Homeland Security, where he was responsible for homeland security initiatives to identify and protect the nation’s critical infrastructure, while also implementing executive orders and legislative initiatives.

He represented the United States in bilateral initiatives involving cooperation between the private sector and government counterterrorism initiatives in Latin America, Canada, and Europe. He was also involved in the development and execution of Operation Liberty Shield, the national mobilization of homeland security and public safety resources in the lead-up to Operation Iraqi Freedom in 2004.

Mr. DiNanno served in the White House Office of Homeland Security as director of corporate relations from November 2001 to March 2003 and as senior advisor and acting chief of staff at the US Small Business Administration from February 2001 to October 2001.

Mr. DiNanno received a master’s in business and urban planning from Massachusetts Institute of Technology, a master’s in government administration from the University of Pennsylvania, and a certificate in international relations from the Fletcher School of Law and Diplomacy. He received a bachelor’s in economics and Latin American studies from Middlebury College in Vermont.