William (Bill) Shelton is director of strategic planning and operations in the RAND Homeland Security Research Division (HSRD), which operates the Homeland Security Operational Analysis Center (HSOAC), a federally funded research and development center (FFRDC) sponsored by the Department of Homeland Security (DHS). He is also a senior engineer at RAND and a professor of policy analysis at Pardee RAND Graduate School.
As director of strategic planning and operations, he is the primary contact for all inquiries on how to work with HSRD and HSOAC. Before taking on this role, Shelton was acting director of HSRD's Infrastructure, Immigration, and Security Operations Program (IISO). In that role, he oversaw numerous projects sponsored by operational components across DHS. In addition, over the past several years, he has conducted research for DHS's Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA), the Cybersecurity and Infrastructure Agency (CISA), the Science and Technology Directorate (S&T), and the Joint Requirements Council (JRC). Outside DHS, his research has covered such topics as accelerating Air Force and Space Force acquisition programs and how to improve the Air Force's development and implementation of large-scale Enterprise Resource Planning programs.
Shelton served in the U.S. Air Force for over 26 years. After retiring in 2007, Shelton worked in industry and government before joining RAND. While on active duty, Shelton served as a program manager on the F-16, F-22, and Joint Strike Fighter, ran the Air Force's Link 16 program, and interfaced with the Combatant Commands employing the nation's ballistic missile defense system. Additionally he served at the Department of State in Defense Trade Controls as an expert on export controls and the International Traffic in Arms Regulation (ITAR), had Air Staff and intelligence tours as well as a RAND Air Force Fellowship.
He has a B.S. in aeronautics/astronautics from the Massachusetts Institute of Technology and an M.S. in aeronautical engineering from the Air Force Institute of Technology.
M.S. in aero/astro engineering, Air Force Institute of Technology; B.S. in aero/astro engineering, Massachusetts Institute of Technology
