Dr. Gventer assumed duties as the President of the Defense Security Cooperation University (DSCU), a component of the Defense Security Cooperation Agency (DSCA), in December 2021. DSCU’s mission is to advance the knowledge and practice of Security Cooperation through the education, training, and development of the U.S. Security Cooperation workforce and through the education, training, and institutional capacity building of partner nations; and to produce research, analysis, and lessons learned that expand the intellectual foundations of Security Cooperation.
Dr. Gventer has been a national security professional for more than two decades with service in government, academia, and the private sector, both in the United States and overseas. Before this assignment, she served as a Senior Lecturer and Regional Program Lead for Europe at DSCU’s Institute for Security Governance. From 2007 to 2009, Dr. Gventer served as the Deputy Assistant Secretary of Defense for Stability Operations Capabilities in the Office of the Secretary of Defense in Washington, D.C. For part of that time, she was ‘dual-hatted’ as the Acting Principal Deputy to the Assistant Secretary of Defense for Special Operations Capabilities. She joined the DoD following her second tour of duty in Iraq, where she was the political-military advisor to the Multinational Corps-Iraq commander from 2005 to 2006.
Dr. Gventer received a Bachelor of Arts degree in Political Science from Stanford University, a Master of Public Policy degree from the Harvard Kennedy School, and a PhD in History and Certificate in Cybersecurity from UT. Dr. Gventer is also the recipient of the Global War on Terrorism Civilian Service Medal, the U.S. Army Superior Civilian Service Award, and the Secretary of Defense Medal for Outstanding Public Service.
She is married to an active-duty U.S. Army Colonel.
Dr. Gventer assumed duties as the President of the Defense Security Cooperation University (DSCU), a component of the Defense Security Cooperation Agency (DSCA), in December 2021. DSCU’s mission is to advance the knowledge and practice of Security Cooperation through the education, training, and development of the U.S. Security Cooperation workforce and through the education, training, and institutional capacity building of partner nations; and to produce research, analysis, and lessons learned that expand the intellectual foundations of Security Cooperation.
Dr. Gventer has been a national security professional for more than two decades with service in government, academia, and the private sector, both in the United States and overseas. Before this assignment, she served as a Senior Lecturer and Regional Program Lead for Europe at DSCU’s Institute for Security Governance. From 2007 to 2009, Dr. Gventer served as the Deputy Assistant Secretary of Defense for Stability Operations Capabilities in the Office of the Secretary of Defense in Washington, D.C. For part of that time, she was ‘dual-hatted’ as the Acting Principal Deputy to the Assistant Secretary of Defense for Special Operations Capabilities. She joined the DoD following her second tour of duty in Iraq, where she was the political-military advisor to the Multinational Corps-Iraq commander from 2005 to 2006.
Dr. Gventer received a Bachelor of Arts degree in Political Science from Stanford University, a Master of Public Policy degree from the Harvard Kennedy School, and a PhD in History and Certificate in Cybersecurity from UT. Dr. Gventer is also the recipient of the Global War on Terrorism Civilian Service Medal, the U.S. Army Superior Civilian Service Award, and the Secretary of Defense Medal for Outstanding Public Service.
She is married to an active-duty U.S. Army Colonel.