Biographies

Ken Handelman is a career member of the Senior Executive Service with more than two decades of service with the Department of Defense. He is presently on temporary assignment in Afghanistan.

Previously, Mr. Handelman has served as Principal Deputy Assistant Secretary of Defense for International Security Affairs in this role since beginning in July 2015, while and also performing the duties of Assistant Secretary of Defense for International Security Affairs January - July 2017.

From September 2013 to July 2015, Mr. Handelman served as Deputy Assistant Secretary of State for Defense Trade Controls, where he oversaw the International Traffic in Arms Regulations and helped implement the President's Export Control Reform Initiative. In a twenty-year Pentagon career, Mr. Handelman has held policy positions at several ranks relating to non-proliferation of weapons of mass destruction, nuclear and missile defense, military cyber and space policy, technology security, peacekeeping, and military planning. Mr. Handelman was also a Special Assistant to Undersecretary of Defense for Policy Walt Slocombe.

Prior to his Pentagon service, Mr. Handelman was a Legislative Assistant and then Legislative Director for Senator Howard Metzenbaum of Ohio, where he handled a variety of issues including appropriations. Mr. Handelman is a graduate of Columbia College and the School of International and Public Affairs at Columbia University, and of American University's Washington College of Law. He has received several DoD and State Department decorations, remains happily married to his first wife with whom he is raising four children, and enjoys cutting his own lawn.