Ms. Lisa Heald, a member of the Senior Executive Service, is the Deputy Director for Concepts and Strategy, Deputy Chief of Staff for Strategy, Design and Requirements. In this role, Ms. Heald is responsible for developing and synchronizing Air Force strategy, concepts and force posture with the Department of War and conducting strategic assessments of the operating environment through wargames and workshops.
Prior to her current assignment, Ms. Heald served as the Associate Chief for Strategy at Headquarters Air Force, advising on National Defense Strategy implementation and linking NDS intent to future Air Force design, capability development and the integration of allies and partners into strategy, concepts, capabilities and requirements.
Previously, Ms. Heald spent over fifteen years in the private sector, including over a decade in senior leadership roles advising executive clients and overseeing business units and multi-disciplinary teams delivering strategy, policy and organizational design services for federal and private sector clients. Before joining the private sector, Ms. Heald worked for many years in the Office of the Undersecretary of Defense for Policy, Office of the Secretary of Defense. Previous assignments include overseeing bilateral defense relations with Turkey, helping develop the 2001 Quadrennial Defense Review, and serving as Special Assistant to the second most senior policy official at the Pentagon. Ms. Heald began her career in the federal government at the U.S. Department of State.
EDUCATION
1993 Bachelor of Art, History and Spanish, Haverford College, Pa.
1995 Master of Science, Foreign Service, Georgetown University, Washington, D.C.
CAREER CHRONOLOGY
1. 1995–1997, Presidential Management Fellow, U.S. Department of State, Washington, D.C.
2. 1997–1997, Member, Balkans Task Force, Office of the Secretary of Defense (Policy), Washington, D.C.
3. 1997–2000, Special Assistant to the Principal Deputy Under Secretary of Defense for Policy, OSD (Policy), Washington, D.C.
4. 2000–2003, Defense Strategist, OSD (Policy), Washington, D.C.
5. 2003–2005, Country Director for Turkey, OSD (Policy), Washington, D.C.
6. 2005–2010, Associate, Booz Allen Hamilton, McLean, Va.
7. 2010–2014, Senior Associate, Booz Allen Hamilton, Mclean, Va.
8. 2015–2020, Senior Associate, The Cadmus Group, Arlington, Va.
9. 2021–2021, Principal, The Cadmus Group, Arlington, Va.
10. 2021–2025, Associate Chief for Strategy, Headquarters Air Force, the Pentagon, Arlington, Va.
11. September 2025–present, Deputy Director, Concepts and Strategy, Deputy Chief of Staff for Strategy, Design and Requirements, Headquarters Air Force, the Pentagon, Arlington, Va.
MAJOR AWARDS AND DECORATIONS
OSD Medal for Exceptional Civil Service
Secretary of Defense Joint Meritorious Unit Award (Group Award) for Exceptionally Meritorious Service, OSD Balkans Task Force
State Department Superior Honor Award (Group Award)
(Current as of January 2026)