C. Stewart Verdery Jr.

C. Stewart Verdery Jr. is founder of the bipartisan advocacy firm Monument Advocacy. Previously, he was the first Assistant Secretary for Policy and Planning at the U.S. Department of Homeland Security (DHS), a position he held from 2003 to 2005 following his unanimous confirmation by the Senate.

At the DHS Border and Transportation Security Directorate, Mr. Verdery oversaw U.S. Customs and Border Protection, U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement, and the Transportation Security Administration, and led efforts to develop and implement policies related to immigration, visas, and travel facilitation; cargo security and international trade; transportation security; and law enforcement. He worked extensively with foreign governments, testified frequently before Congress, and represented the agency publicly on a diverse set of issues. He also chaired official government advisory committees on international trade and tourism and served on the President’s Advisory Committee to Protect Americans’ Civil Liberties.

Before joining the Bush administration, Mr. Verdery served as General Counsel to Assistant Senate Majority Leader Don Nickles (R-OK), playing a major role on a wide range of policy issues such as law enforcement, commerce, nominations, constitutional law, campaign finance, and telecommunications. He also oversaw the creation and management of the Senate Republican High-Tech Task Force and served as Counsel to Senate Judiciary Committee Chairman Orrin Hatch (R-UT) and to Senate Committee on Rules and Administration Chairman John Warner (R-VA). His private-sector experience includes positions at Vivendi Universal Entertainment and the law firm Baker & Hostetler.

Mr. Verdery is a frequent guest on CNN and Fox News and is regularly quoted in the Wall Street Journal, Washington Post, New York Times, The Hill, Axios, Recode, Politico, and other influential media outlets. He is a member of the Appalachian Trail Conservancy’s President’s Advisory Circle, the board of advisors of the Project 2049 Institute, and the MITRE Homeland Security advisory board. Previously, he was a Senior Fellow at the Center for Strategic and International Studies.

He holds a bachelor’s degree from Williams College and a JD from the University of Virginia.