Biden Nominates Ashish Vazirani to Deputy Undersecretary Role at Department of Defense
President Joe Biden has nominated Indian American Ashish Vazirani for deputy undersecretary of defense for personnel and readiness at the Department of Defense. (gwotmemorialfoundation.org photo)
India-West Staff Reporter
The White House Sept. 21 announced that President Joe Biden made a number of nominations to key administrative posts, with Indian American Ashish Vazirani among them.
Vazirani was nominated by Biden to serve as the deputy undersecretary of defense for personnel and readiness at the Department of Defense.
Vazirani is the principal of A2O Strategies LLC where he provides advisory services to commercial and non-profit, high growth and large enterprises, on the development, implementation, and execution of growth strategies.
Most recently, Vazirani was executive director and chief executive of the National Military Family Association, where he provided strategic and operational oversight, and direction for all aspects of NMFA’s advocacy and programing to support military families, his bio notes.
During his tenure NMFA regained its four-star charity rating and expanded programming, including a child care fee relief program. Before joining NMFA, he led development and programming at the Armed Services YMCA where he ensured implementation and measurement of standardized programs serving junior enlisted military families.
Vazirani was also selected to serve as a member of the National Academies of Sciences, Engineering and Medicine’s Committee on the Well-Being of Military Families.
Prior to his work with the ASYMCA, he spent 22 years as a management consultant working with leading high tech and pharmaceutical companies to create transformational change while delivering customer-centric solutions and profitable growth.
Vazirani served on active duty in the United States Navy as a Submarine Officer from 1986 to 1993, his bio added.
Vazirani holds a bachelor’s degree in mechanical engineering from Vanderbilt University, a masters of engineering from the McCormick School of Engineering at Northwestern University, and a M.B.A. from the Kellogg School of Management at Northwestern University.
His family immigrated to the United States when he was 3 years old. He grew up in Silver Spring, Maryland, where he and his wife of 26 years, Deborah, currently reside.
They have an adult son and daughter. Vazirani is the son of a combat wounded, Vietnam-era Marine and the father of a currently serving Marine, the bio added.
