Mercedes Fitchett

Mercedes Fitchett retired in the fall of 2025 after serving in senior-level positions within the Department of Defense, especially relating to accelerating disruption in the evolving national security innovation base for emerging technologies and industries critical to national and economic security.  In the past several years, her work has advanced the Direct Commercial Contracts program to key partner nations, the newly established Office of Strategic Capital, AFWERX, Defense Innovation Unit (DIUx), INDOPACOM, and Air Force Acquisition programs.

Ms. Fitchett began her civil service career with the International Trade Administration (ITA) of the US Department of Commerce as an Outstanding Scholar. She served in several international economist positions at ITA, the US Executive Director’s Office at the World Bank, U.S. Agency for International Development and Office of the Secretary of Defense’s (OSD) Task Force Business Stability Operations – Iraq.  She has received numerous awards, include the Award for Meritorious Civilian Service, the U.S. Junior Chamber of Commerce’s recognition as one of Ten Outstanding Young Americans, and the Department of Commerce Gold Medal Award for Professional Excellence.

She is a graduate of Pomona College (1991 - cum laude, BA Economics and NCAA Division III All American in Tennis), Georgetown University (1993 - Master of Science in Foreign Service), Air War College and the Dwight D. Eisenhower School at National Defense University (2019 - Master of Science in National Resource Strategy – focus on Science & Technology, Hypersonics, and Missile Defense). The Eisenhower School recognized her as an NDU Scholar for her research thesis on “Indonesia – Lessons Learned in Addressing the Security Threat from Female Returnees and Deportees of ISIS,” for which she was awarded the NDU Women, Peace and Security Research and Writing Award, and participated in an in-depth media interview at the 2019 Doha Forum in Qatar. She is a Life Member of the Council on Foreign Relations.