Karen Sudkamp (she/her) is an associate director of the Infrastructure, Immigration, and Security Operations (IISO) Program, part of the RAND Homeland Security Research Division (HSRD), a management scientist, and a professor at Pardee RAND Graduate School. Her research is split between critical homeland security and national security issues.
Sudkamp's research focuses on infrastructure security of the U.S. food system; migration and refugees; extremism, terrorism, and counterterrorism; disaster response and recovery; climate change as a national security issue; Middle Eastern politics and society; and a variety of Intelligence Community issues. Her recent research includes understanding the risks of disruption of the U.S. food system due to public health emergencies like COVID-19 and climate change, the impact of including gender perspectives in Department of Defense operations, and how to reduce both civilian harm during conflict and radicalization in refugee communities. She recently co-led research considering how climate change may impact not only the physical environment, but also the socio-economic and security environment of a region.
Sudkamp spent twelve years at the Defense Intelligence Agency as an all-source senior intelligence analyst for Middle East and counterterrorism issues. She provided intelligence support to all levels of the defense enterprise, including four deployments in support of active military operations to multiple positions on the Joint Staff.
Sudkamp received her B.S. in International Politics from Georgetown University's Walsh School of Foreign Service, her M.A. in National Security and Strategic Studies from the Naval War College, and her MBA and M.A. in Food Studies from Chatham University.
B.S.F.S. in international politics, Georgetown University; M.A. in national security and strategic studies, Naval War College; M.A. in food studies, Chatham University; M.B.A. in business administration, Chatham University
