Dr. Hillen's distinguished career has spanned multiple sectors of public and private service. A decorated military veteran, Hillen went on to further accomplishments as a high-ranking government official, the leader of multiple defense and intelligence firms, and a noted national security scholar. Appointed by President George W. Bush as the assistant secretary of state for political-military affairs, Hillen was the senior State Department official responsible for coordinating diplomatic strategy and military operations. As president and CEO of Sotera Defense Solutions, he successfully took the company public and was named the 2012 GovCon Contractor of the Year. In 2013 he joined the faculty of George Mason University's School of Business as Executive in Residence and Professor of Practice.
Dr. Hillen is in his second term as a Trustee of Hampden-Sydney College. He holds a Ph.D. in international relations from the University of Oxford, an M.B.A. from Cornell University, an M.A. in war studies from King's College London, and a B.A. in public policy and history from Duke University.