Clarity for Tomorrow. Turning Uncertainty Into Opportunity.

Who We Are

At Clarion Strategies, we believe that there's no substitute for integrity, honesty, candor, discretion, and the highest quality of work — all the more critical at a time of great change at home and abroad.

Our Mission

Our mission is to empower our clients with the knowledge, foresight, and networks needed to anticipate risks, seize opportunities, and drive resilient decision-making at a time of tremendous global uncertainty.​

Our Expertise

The Clarion team brings significant experience building and leading large, complex teams in Washington and overseas, in war and at peace — an expertise that helps business leaders thrive in a changing world.

Clarion leaders have served in the senior-most ranks of U.S. defense and diplomacy, managing national and international security issues across multiple presidential administrations.

Our experience has taught us that crises and challenges must be navigated with calm leadership, sound judgment, and robust relationships that can stand the test of time.​

Our practice is built on first-hand experience leading teams through some of the most dynamic and turbulent times in modern history.

Whether you’re looking to grow your business or manage risk, we’ll help you along with steadiness, confidence, and skill. ​

Meet the Team

Led by a distinguished team — including a former Secretary of Defense, a former NATO Ambassador, and a former Assistant Secretary — we bring unmatched expertise in defense, diplomacy, and international security. ​

Our Leaders

  • Former Secretary of Defense Lloyd J. Austin III

    CEO and Co-Founder

    Austin led the Pentagon through unprecedented modernization and maturation, preparing the department for global competition in Asia and addressing the rise and ubiquity of autonomous and AI-enabled weapons systems. He also created pathways to drive private capital to national security priorities. Austin draws on more than 40 years in the U.S. Army, retiring as the four-star general commanding U.S. and coalition forces in the Middle East and South Asia.​

  • Ambassador Julianne Smith

    President and Co-Founder

    Smith is a seasoned diplomat with decades of national security expertise, most recently serving as the U.S. Permanent Representative to NATO. She has held senior positions at the Pentagon, the State Department, and the White House, including as Acting National Security Advisor to the Vice President. Her career includes influential roles at think tanks such as the German Marshall Fund, the Center for a New American Security and the Center for Strategic and International Studies.

  • The Honorable Rheanne Wirkkala

    Managing Partner and Co-Founder

    Wirkkala is a national security expert who most recently served as the Assistant Secretary for Legislative Affairs at the Pentagon, managing the Pentagon’s relationship with Congress and advocating for their nearly $1 trillion budget. She also served as a senior staff member on the House Intelligence Committee and as an intelligence analyst covering counter-terrorism and international security trends in the Middle East, Africa, and South Asia.​

Our Senior Advisors

  • Holly Bekesha

    Bekesha has over a decade of experience in government affairs consulting, building client relationships and advising Fortune 500 companies. She previously served as Director of Strategic Growth for a federal contractor and senior positions at Albright Stonebridge Group.

  • Phoebe Benich

    Benich is a national security and emerging technologies expert specializing in U.S.-China strategic competition and defense and intelligence community collaboration with the startup ecosystem. She has held roles at the White House, Pentagon, State Department, and In-Q-Tel.

  • Curtis Burns

    Burns is a national security and intelligence expert who draws on 28 years of experience as an Infantry and Strategic Intelligence officer in the U.S. Army with particular focus on the Middle East, Europe, and Indo-Pacific security, and the evolution of modern warfare.

  • Jacob Freedman

    Freedman is a national security and public affairs expert with two decades of experience across government and the private sector. He has held senior roles at the Pentagon and the Albright Stonebridge Group, most recently serving as Chief of Staff to the Secretary of the Army.

  • Jacqueline Ramos

    Ramos is a foreign policy and national security expert focused on transatlantic relations who most recently served as Deputy Assistant Secretary for European affairs at the State Department. She has also held roles at the Pentagon, Congress, NNSA, and in the private sector. 

  • Dr. Ely Ratner

    Ratner is a political scientist and leading expert on Indo-Pacific security issues who was most recently the Assistant Secretary for Indo-Pacific Security Affairs at the Pentagon. He has also held senior roles at the White House, the State Department, and in the Senate.

Our Suite of Services

  • Strategic
    Advising​

  • Market Entry and
    Business Development

  • Global Risk
    Analysis

  • Stakeholder
    Mapping ​

  • Crisis
    Management 

  • Relationship Building
    and Maintenance​

  • Growth Milestone
    Planning ​

  • Congressional Analysis
    and Preparation

Contact Us

Use the form below to get in touch.

info@clarionstrategies.com