Bio, via White House:

She has had an extensive career in the national security arena in both the public and private sectors. Within the Department of Defense, Ms. Ricardel held the positions of Acting Assistant Secretary of Defense and Principal Deputy Assistant Secretary of Defense for International Security policy and Deputy Assistant Secretary of Defense for Eurasia, and was awarded the Department of Defense Medal for Distinguished Public Service. Ms. Ricardel also served as Legislative Assistant for Arms Control and Foreign Policy to Republican Leader Bob Dole. From 2006–2015, Ms. Ricardel held senior leadership positions within Boeing Defense Space and Security, most recently Vice President, International Business Development, Network & Space Systems, where she led the business unit’s marketing and growth strategies for international markets. She holds a Bachelor of Science in Foreign Service from Georgetown University and completed doctoral course work at the Fletcher School of Law and Diplomacy.