Melinda Woods

Ms. Melinda Woods is a dynamic national security technology and policy strategist with extensive experience in technology security, government acquisition, and all manner of defense industrial base analysis.  Calling on more than a decade in the Department of Defense as an Office of the Secretary of Defense senior Industrial Policy staff member, Melinda advises on cybersecurity compliance, supply chain analysis, Government grants and contracts, technology development and integration, and program support.

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She is an expert on Foreign Investments in the U.S. (CFIUS Committee Advisor) recently serving as the first Defense Department (DoD) lead for the mandatory Declarations process under the Foreign Investment and Risk Reduction Act (FIRRMA).  Melinda served as the Office of Secretary of Defense Industrial Policy principal advisor on strategy and integration responsible for reviewing and reporting on critical defense technologies, developing pathways for small and medium companies in the industrial base, and supporting the development of integrated strategies in the Department of Defense.  

Melinda was previously the Director of the DPA Title III Office where she standardized $300M in operations while overseeing the unique Presidential authority to mitigate domestic industrial base shortfalls.   Melinda has also served as technical advisor on export licenses for electronics and information technology at the Defense Technology Security Administration.  She served in several capacities at the Defense Intelligence Agency including managing a team while deployed during Operation Iraqi Freedom.  

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Before joining DoD, Ms. Woods worked in the commercial semiconductor and telecommunications sectors.  She holds bachelor and master degrees in electrical engineering from the University of Michigan and the Georgia Institute of Technology, respectively, and an MBA from the University of Virginia Darden School of Business.