Fran Townsend Joins Bipartisan Policy Center Board of Directors

Townsend also serves as a member of the BPC's National Security Preparedness Group, successor to the 9/11 Commission

WASHINGTON, May 19 /PRNewswire-USNewswire/ -- The Bipartisan Policy Center (BPC) today announced that Fran Townsend, former Assistant to the President for Homeland Security and Counterterrorism and former Chair of the Homeland Security Council, has agreed to join its Board of Directors.  BPC Founders Howard Baker, Tom Daschle and Bob Dole joined BPC President Jason Grumet in welcoming Townsend.  

"Fran's dedication to public service, combined with her national and homeland security expertise, will greatly benefit the BPC and its projects, specifically our National Security Preparedness Group," said BPC President Jason Grumet.  "Having served in Democratic and Republican administrations, Fran has successfully worked across the aisle to achieve results on issues with serious implications for the security of our country."

Currently, Townsend is a partner at Baker Botts LLP, concentrating on global security, corporate risk and litigation issues.  As Assistant to the President for Homeland Security and Counterterrorism and Chair of the Homeland Security Council, Townsend served as President George W. Bush's chief anti-terrorism and homeland security adviser from May 2004 to January 2008.  She previously served as Deputy Assistant to the President and Deputy National Security Advisor for Combating Terrorism from May 2003 to May 2004.  

Townsend was the first Assistant Commandant for Intelligence for the U.S. Coast Guard.  Previously, Townsend spent 13 years at the U.S. Department of Justice during the George H. W. Bush, Bill Clinton and George W. Bush administrations.  

Townsend is a contributor for CNN and regularly appears on network and cable television as a national and homeland security expert.  She is a member of the Council of Foreign Relations and a member of the BPC's National Security Preparedness Group, the successor to the 9/11 Commission and 9/11 Public Discourse Project.  

"We look forward to Fran's contributions as a member of the Bipartisan Policy Center's Board of Directors," said Jane Garvey, BPC Board Chair.  "Her leadership, insights and experience working in the public and private sectors will be very valuable to our organization. We are lucky to have her expertise and talent at the BPC."

The BPC Board currently includes Chairwoman Jane Garvey, former FAA Administrator; Dennis Archer, former Mayor of Detroit and Chairman, Dickinson Wright PLLC; Norman R. Augustine, Retired Chairman and CEO of Lockheed Martin Corporation; Sheila Burke, Harvard University and Senior Policy Advisor at Baker, Donelson, Bearman, Caldwell & Berkowitz, PC; Ralph Cavanagh, Energy Program Senior Attorney and Co-Director at the National Resources Defense Council; John Danforth, former U.S. Senator and Partner, Bryan Cave, LLP; Jason Grumet, BPC President; Hal Harvey, CEO of ClimateWorks Foundation; Mark Heising, Managing Director of Medley Partners; Larry Higby, Chairman of New Majority California; Walter Isaacson, President and CEO of The Aspen Institute; Chuck Robb, former U.S. Senator; John Rowe, Chairman and CEO of Exelon Corporation; Retired USAF General Charles F. Wald, Vice President at L-3 Communications and Retired Deputy Commander, United States European Command; and Mark Walsh, CEO and Chairman of GeniusRocket.

About the Bipartisan Policy Center:

In 2007, former U.S. Senate Majority Leaders Howard Baker, Tom Daschle, Bob Dole, and George Mitchell formed the Bipartisan Policy Center (BPC) to develop and promote solutions that can attract the public support and political momentum to achieve real progress. Currently, the BPC focuses on issues including health care, energy, national and homeland security, transportation, science and economic policy. For more information, please visit our website: http://www.bipartisanpolicy.org/.

SOURCE Bipartisan Policy Center