The Honorable Dr. Kimberly A. McClain was confirmed by the U.S. Senate and sworn in as the Assistant Secretary for Congressional and Intergovernmental Relations at the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development on January 3, 2023. In this role, she serves as the principal advisor to the Secretary, Deputy Secretary, and senior staff with respect to legislative affairs, congressional relations and policy matters affecting federal, state, and local governments, and public and private interest groups. This includes the development of the Department’s legislative priorities and collaborating with the Chief Financial Officer on the development of the Department’s $73.3 billion budget.

From 2021 to 2023, Dr. McClain served in the Biden–Harris Administration as the Deputy Assistant Secretary for Congressional and Legislative Affairs at the U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs. In that role, she advised the Secretary and Deputy Secretary on congressional matters and provided management and oversight of the Department’s congressional activities. across the defense, intelligence, interagency, and private sectors. Immediately prior to joining the Administration, Dr. McClain served as Director for Congressional Strategy for the Department of the Air Force where she led teams charged with planning, execution, and management of the Department’s congressional engagement strategy in addition to leading and managing five functional offices: research, metrics, analysis, strategy, and strategic communications in support of the Department’s $169 billion dollar budget.

A retired U.S. Air Force Reserve Lieutenant Colonel, Dr. McClain has more than 30 years of experience in cybersecurity, defense acquisition, financial services, international security cooperation, and national security across academia, government, military, non-profit, and private industry. In the private sector, Dr. McClain has held a variety of positions to include Senior Executive Communications Advisor to the Chief Executive Officer for Accenture Federal Services, Risk Operations Manager at Capital One Financial Services, Investment Banker with Stewart James Financial Services, and as an Adjunct Professor at Northcentral University teaching international business.

Over the last three decades, Dr. McClain has held numerous positions in the defense sector to include Director of Congressional Strategy, Senior Country Director for Latin America, Director for Defense Senior Leadership Development Program, Senior International Cooperation Advisor to the Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff, Senior Country Director for Africa and Brazil, Legislative Advisor to the Chief of Staff of the Air Force, Policy Advisor, and E-3 AWACS Instructor Senior Air Battle Manager.

A native of Rockford, Illinois, Dr. McClain holds a Doctor of Philosophy in International Business from Northcentral University, a Master of Science in Human Relations and International Business from Amberton University, and a Bachelor of Arts in Psychology from the University of Texas.

She is an active and proud member of Alpha Kappa Alpha Sorority, Incorporated, the Links, Incorporated, and Jack and Jill of America, Incorporated.

Dr. McClain and her husband have four children and three dogs.
 

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