Doug Wilson

Doug Wilson’s 40-year career in foreign policy, national security, politics and communications strategy has spanned both the public and private sectors. He was the first openly-gay individual to be Senate confirmed to a senior Pentagon position (Assistant Secretary of Defense for Public Affairs), where he headed the largest government communications operation in the world and led communication strategy on issues ranging from Afghanistan and Iraq to China, the defense budget and military sexual assault. He played a key role in the repeal of “Don’t Ask/Don’t Tell” legislation, and has three times been awarded the Distinguished Public Service Medal, the Pentagon’s highest civilian honor. He served as Senior Foreign Policy Advisor to the presidential campaigns of Gary Hart and Pete Buttigieg; a senior communications strategist for Microsoft and Boeing; foreign service officer in Italy and the UK; national political director of the Democratic Leadership Council; and led the 1996 Democratic presidential campaign victory in Arizona, the first time Democrats had won that state since Truman in 1948. He is the co-founder of Vets Community Connections, a national initiative to involve more Americans from all walks of life in veteran and military family community reintegration.