NTI Board Elects Christine E. Wormuth as President and CEO

Christine E. Wormuth, a defense and national security leader who recently served as Secretary of the Army, is joining the Nuclear Threat Initiative (NTI) as its new President and Chief Executive Officer, effective November 17, 2025. Adm. Mike Mullen led the search and made the announcement today on behalf of NTI’s Board of Directors and three Co-Chairs, founders Sam Nunn and Ted Turner and outgoing CEO Ernest J. Moniz, who will continue serving as Co-Chair of the Board.

Wormuth served as Secretary of the Army from 2021-2025. She brings an extensive record of leadership and service at the Department of Defense, the White House, and prominent think tanks.

“I’m honored to join NTI and follow in the footsteps of both Ernie Moniz and Sam Nunn, whose leadership delivered lasting, tangible results,” said Wormuth. “NTI’s mission to reduce global nuclear, biological, and emerging technology threats is more vital than ever. I’m excited to lead this exceptional team as it builds on NTI’s legacy and helps shape a safer, more resilient future.”

“We’re thrilled to welcome Christine as NTI’s new leader,” said Nunn. “Her deep national security experience and trusted leadership make her the right person for this moment. Ted and I are deeply grateful to Ernie for his outstanding leadership—he’s left NTI stronger than ever, and I’m confident Christine will build on that legacy.”

Moniz, who succeeded Nunn in 2017, said: “It’s been an honor to lead NTI over the past eight years. This organization is truly one-of-a-kind, with unmatched credibility and impact. The NTI team has achieved a lot over the last several years, including advancing new lines of work on nuclear energy, building a growing impactful biosecurity program, focusing on the intersection of new emerging technology with nuclear and bio security, and creating new public and private nuclear security narratives. I’m excited to see Christine bring her energy and vision to NTI’s next chapter.”

“Having held the leadership positions as Chairman, Joint Chiefs of Staff, and Chief of Naval Operations, I know what it takes to guide a major institution like the Army—especially during a time of transformation and turbulence,” said Mullen. “Christine is stepping in at a critical time, with global threats rising across nuclear, bio, and tech domains. The Search Committee is confident she’s exactly the leader NTI needs now.”

Wormuth is a seasoned national security leader with more than 30 years of experience in defense policy, strategic planning, and international security. She most recently served as the 25th Secretary of the U.S. Army, becoming the first woman to hold the position. In that role, she oversaw a $186 billion budget and was responsible for nearly one million soldiers and 300,000 civilian employees. Her tenure was marked by a commitment to innovation, people, and modernizing the Army’s equipment and force posture.

Prior to her service as Secretary of the Army, Wormuth held several senior roles in the Department of Defense, including Under Secretary of Defense for Policy from 2014 to 2016, where she advised the Secretary of Defense on a wide range of national security issues. She also served as Deputy Under Secretary for Strategy, Plans, and Forces, leading the 2014 Quadrennial Defense Review, Special Assistant to the President for National Security Affairs and Senior Director for Defense at the National Security Council, and Principal Deputy Assistant Secretary of Defense for Homeland Defense.

Outside of government, Wormuth was the Director of the International Security and Defense Policy Center at the RAND Corporation, where she oversaw more than $30 million in research and was the author of “America at Risk,” a classified study examining state actor threats to the U.S. homeland. She holds a BA in Political Science and Fine Arts from Williams College and a Master of Public Policy from the University of Maryland.

NTI—a nonprofit, nonpartisan global security organization focused on reducing nuclear, biological, and emerging technology threats imperiling humanity—will celebrate its 25th anniversary in 2026. Wormuth will be the organization’s third CEO, following Nunn (2001-2017) and Moniz (2017-2025). Charles B. Curtis and Joan Rohlfing earlier served as NTI presidents, with Rohlfing stepping down in June 2025.