Michelle Lenihan
June 8, 2026
Topic: The Future of US Engagement in Africa
Michelle Lenihan is the Deputy Commissioner of the Maine Department of Defense, Veterans and Emergency Management. She previously served in various national security roles in the Pentagon, the White House, and the U.S. Senate – to include acting Deputy Assistant Secretary of Defense for African Affairs, Chief of Staff for Homeland Defense and Global Security, Special Assistant to the Under Secretary of Defense for Policy, and National Security Council Director for African Affairs. Additionally, she served on the Department of Defense’s Reserve Forces Policy Board.
Outside of government, Michelle advised leading corporates and investors, associate produced for ABC News, led the creation of the first dialysis center in Guyana, and taught in Johannesburg. She currently serves as the Board Chair for the Hearts of Pine Foundation and is a member of the Sports Integrity Global Alliance (SIGA) AMERICA Advisory Board.
Michelle earned a Master in Public Policy from the Harvard Kennedy School and a Bachelor of Arts from the University of Pennsylvania. Her journalism honors include a George F. Peabody Award, an Emmy Award, and an Alfred I. DuPont Silver Baton Award. While at Harvard, she received the Dean’s Excellence Award for Innovation. At the Pentagon, she earned the Defense Medal for Meritorious Civilian Service, the Defense Medal for Exceptional Civilian Service, and the Joint Civilian Service Achievement Award. She is a former term member of the Council on Foreign Relations.