Ryan McDermottVice President, National Security Policy
Ryan McDermott is the Vice President of National Security Policy at the Aerospace Industries Association (AIA). A seasoned senior national security executive, McDermott brings over twenty-four years of public and private sector experience to the association. He is responsible for developing AIA’s national security agenda, and for planning and executing advocacy efforts to support it.
McDermott joined the association after serving as a Highly Qualified Expert (HQE) in the Department of the Air Force where he led organizational transformation efforts in the Financial Management office (SAF/FM). Previously, McDermott was the Vice President for Defense and Intelligence at the Professional Services Council (PSC), an industry trade association representing services contractors. McDermott has also been a senior official in the Pentagon, having served as the Principal Director for Manufacturing and Industrial Base Policy (MIBP) where he was responsible for developing Department of Defense policies for the maintenance of the U.S. defense industrial base. He also served as the Special Assistant to the Assistant Secretary of the Army for Financial Management & Comptroller.
Prior to his roles in the Pentagon and at trade associations, McDermott served as a senior financial analyst at Booz Allen Hamilton where he led the design of the firm’s financial forecasting models, and prior to that, was an investment banker at Evercore, a top-tier investment bank based in New York City, where he worked on corporate advisory assignments across multiple industry sectors. His military service was distinguished in wartime. He served in the Army’s 3rd Infantry Division where he led an infantry platoon during Operation Iraqi Freedom in 2003. McDermott’s platoon secured the Coalition crossing point over the Euphrates River and was the first unit to reach the tarmac of Saddam International Airport in April of 2003.
McDermott is a graduate of the United States Military Academy. He holds a Master of Business Administration from the Darden Graduate School of Business and a Master of Arts in Security Studies from the Edmund A. Walsh School of Foreign Service at Georgetown University. For civilian service, he was awarded the Secretary of Defense Medal for Exceptional Public Service. Among his military service awards and decorations include the Bronze Star Medal, Army Commendation Medal with Valor Device, Combat Infantryman Badge, Air Assault badge, Parachutist Badge, and Ranger Tab.
