| Juliette N. Kayyem | |
|---|---|
| Assistant Secretary for Intergovernmental Affairs in the United States Department of Homeland Security | |
| Incumbent | |
| Assumed office 2009 |
|
| Preceded by | Anne P. Petera |
| Deputy | Stephanie Tennyson |
| Personal details | |
| Born | Los Angeles, USA |
| Political party | Democratic |
| Spouse(s) | David Barron |
| Children | 1 daughter, 2 sons |
| Alma mater | Harvard University, 1991 Harvard Law School, 1995 |
Juliette N. Kayyem (born August 16, 1969) is a columnist at The Boston Globe, writing about issues of national security and foreign affairs for the op-ed page. She is also a lecturer at the John F. Kennedy School of Government at Harvard.
Prior to this, Kayyem was the Assistant Secretary for Intergovernmental Affairs in the United States Department of Homeland Security. Kayyem has an extensive background in terrorism and national security affairs. Prior to her federal position, she served as Massachusetts' first Undersecretary for Homeland Security, where she was responsible for developing statewide policy on homeland security, with a focus on preventing, protecting, responding to, and recovering from any and all critical incidents.
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Born in Los Angeles to Lebanese-Christian parents,[1] Kayyem graduated from Harvard University with her Bachelor's degree in 1991 and later from Harvard Law School with a Juris Doctor degree in 1995.
Kayyem began her legal career as a civil rights attorney at the United States Department of Justice litigating cases as a trial attorney. Eventually, she became a Special Assistant, Counsel to the Assistant Attorney General for Civil Rights and then a legal advisor to the Attorney General Janet Reno. From 1999-2000, Kayyem served as former House Minority Leader Richard Gephardt's appointee to the National Commission on Terrorism, a Congressionally mandated review of how the government could better prepare for the growing terrorist threat. Chaired by L. Paul Bremer, that Commission's recommendations in the year 2000 urged the nation to recognize and adapt to the growing tide of terrorist activity against the United States.[2]
As of fall 2011, Kayyem has returned to the Kennedy School as a lecturer in Public Policy. She is a former member of the Belfer Center for Science and International Affairs board of directors, and Faculty Co-Chair, Dubai Initiative.
Since 2001, Kayyem has been a resident scholar at the Belfer Center, serving both as Executive Director of the Kennedy Schools Executive Session on Domestic Preparedness, a terrorism and homeland security research program, and as co-Director of Harvard's Long-Term Legal Strategy for Combating Terrorism. She also taught courses on law and national security.
On March 5, 2009 United States Department of Homeland Security Secretary Janet Napolitano appointed Juliette N. Kayyem Assistant Secretary for Intergovernmental Affairs.
Kayyem has been directed by Secretary Napolitano to integrate the interactions between various Department of Homeland Security components and state, local, tribal, and territorial (SLTT) government entities to ensure that these entities receive more effective assistance in meeting homeland security missions.[3]
Kayyem is married to David Barron, a Harvard University law professor and formerly Acting Assistant Attorney General for the Office of Legal Counsel. They have one daughter and two sons.