J. Christian Kessler, (SES)
Senior Adviser
12345 42nd Avenue, NE
Seattle, WA 98125
Phone: 571-426-0839
Fax: 202-463-4959
Email: jckessler@mktechnology.com
12345 42nd Avenue, NE
Seattle, WA 98125
Phone: 571-426-0839
Fax: 202-463-4959
Email: jckessler@mktechnology.com
J. Christian (“Chris”) Kessler is Senior Adviser to MK Technology. Working with colleagues in the Head Office and in other MK sites around the world, he provides policy advice and analysis on matters related to U.S. export controls, the Wassenaar Arrangement, and a wide range of strategic tech-transfer issues.
Prior to his retirement from the U.S. Department of State in April 2008 as a member of the U.S. Government’s elite Senior Executive Service (SES), Chris Kessler was Director of the Office of Conventional Arms Threat Reduction in the Bureau of International Security and Nonproliferation (ISN), where he represented the United States in the 40-nation Wassenaar Arrangement on Export Controls for Conventional Arms and for Dual-Use Goods & Technologies, directed U.S. export and sanctions policy relating to sensitive dual-use technologies and conventional arms, and led the interagency process regarding foreign policy and national security policy regarding commercial and foreign remote-sensing satellites.
From 1996 to 1999 he was Senior Advisor for Congressional & Public Affairs to the State Department Assistant Secretary for Political Military Affairs, and from 1999 through 2001 he held the same position advising the Assistant Secretary for Nonproliferation, directing and coordinating press and legislative representation on non-proliferation, arms control, and export related matters. After earning a second Masters Degree at the National War College, he served as Deputy Director for Regional Nonproliferation, where from 1994 to 1996 he oversaw U.S. programs to establish nonproliferation Science Centers in Russia and Ukraine; U.S. support to the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) and the United Nations Special Commission on Iraq (UNSCOM) as they searched for and destroyed elements of Saddam Hussein’s programs to develop nuclear, chemical, and biological weapons, as well as a host of other regional nonproliferation activities concerning South Asia, the Middle East, and the former Soviet Union (including Project Sapphire to remove highly-enriched uranium from Kazakhstan).
Earlier in his State Department career, Chris Kessler was Director of the State Department’s Nuclear Safeguards & Technology/Safety Division, and for eleven years was the senior Department official guiding international nuclear safeguards policy and managing the U.S. technical assistance program to the IAEA’s Department of Safeguards.
During his 26-year State Department career, he negotiated a number of agreements with allied governments on conventional arms and dual-use export control matters, remote-sensing satellite, nuclear safeguard and transportation-security matters, as well as a dozen nuclear safeguards arrangements with the IAEA.
Before joining the State Department in 1982, Chris Kessler was a nuclear safeguards and export policy expert in the U.S. Nuclear Regulatory Commission’s Office of International Programs, a program manager for Lulejian & Associates, a policy analyst for the Center for Naval Analyses, and staff assistant to Rep. Mike McCormick (D-WA) on economic and foreign policy matters.
He graduated from Bowdoin College, and holds Masters Degrees from Indiana University and the National War College. He is the author of many professional papers on international nuclear safeguards; security of offshore economic structures, and legal authorities in offshore waters; and of Verifying Nonproliferation Treaties: Obligation, Process, and Sovereignty (NDU Press, 1995). He also is President of NorthRaven Consulting, Inc. in Seattle, where he advises clients on a range of matters including U.S. and non-U.S. commercial remote-sensing satellite policy and regulation.
Prior to his retirement from the U.S. Department of State in April 2008 as a member of the U.S. Government’s elite Senior Executive Service (SES), Chris Kessler was Director of the Office of Conventional Arms Threat Reduction in the Bureau of International Security and Nonproliferation (ISN), where he represented the United States in the 40-nation Wassenaar Arrangement on Export Controls for Conventional Arms and for Dual-Use Goods & Technologies, directed U.S. export and sanctions policy relating to sensitive dual-use technologies and conventional arms, and led the interagency process regarding foreign policy and national security policy regarding commercial and foreign remote-sensing satellites.
From 1996 to 1999 he was Senior Advisor for Congressional & Public Affairs to the State Department Assistant Secretary for Political Military Affairs, and from 1999 through 2001 he held the same position advising the Assistant Secretary for Nonproliferation, directing and coordinating press and legislative representation on non-proliferation, arms control, and export related matters. After earning a second Masters Degree at the National War College, he served as Deputy Director for Regional Nonproliferation, where from 1994 to 1996 he oversaw U.S. programs to establish nonproliferation Science Centers in Russia and Ukraine; U.S. support to the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) and the United Nations Special Commission on Iraq (UNSCOM) as they searched for and destroyed elements of Saddam Hussein’s programs to develop nuclear, chemical, and biological weapons, as well as a host of other regional nonproliferation activities concerning South Asia, the Middle East, and the former Soviet Union (including Project Sapphire to remove highly-enriched uranium from Kazakhstan).
Earlier in his State Department career, Chris Kessler was Director of the State Department’s Nuclear Safeguards & Technology/Safety Division, and for eleven years was the senior Department official guiding international nuclear safeguards policy and managing the U.S. technical assistance program to the IAEA’s Department of Safeguards.
During his 26-year State Department career, he negotiated a number of agreements with allied governments on conventional arms and dual-use export control matters, remote-sensing satellite, nuclear safeguard and transportation-security matters, as well as a dozen nuclear safeguards arrangements with the IAEA.
Before joining the State Department in 1982, Chris Kessler was a nuclear safeguards and export policy expert in the U.S. Nuclear Regulatory Commission’s Office of International Programs, a program manager for Lulejian & Associates, a policy analyst for the Center for Naval Analyses, and staff assistant to Rep. Mike McCormick (D-WA) on economic and foreign policy matters.
He graduated from Bowdoin College, and holds Masters Degrees from Indiana University and the National War College. He is the author of many professional papers on international nuclear safeguards; security of offshore economic structures, and legal authorities in offshore waters; and of Verifying Nonproliferation Treaties: Obligation, Process, and Sovereignty (NDU Press, 1995). He also is President of NorthRaven Consulting, Inc. in Seattle, where he advises clients on a range of matters including U.S. and non-U.S. commercial remote-sensing satellite policy and regulation.