Wendy R. Anderson

Wendy R. Anderson is Senior Vice President, Federal, National Security at Palantir Technologies where she provides executive leadership on Palantir’s U.S. Government business. Specifically, she leads the strategy for Palantir’s USG relations and advises the CEO and the Presidents of Palantir’s USG and commercial businesses.

Anderson is a widely recognized national security expert and accomplished executive with extensive knowledge on innovation, technology, and government operations in the defense and homeland security sectors. She is a known innovator, strategist, and trusted advisor, bringing more than two decades of expertise to senior leaders in government, the private sector, the entertainment industry, think tanks, and academia on pressing national security issues.

Prior to Palantir, Anderson served as General Manager, Defense and National Security, at SparkCognition, a global artificial intelligence (AI) company from 2017 to 2019. From 2010 to 2015, Anderson served in the Obama administration in key leadership roles in the Departments of Defense and Commerce, including as Deputy Chief of Staff to Secretary of Defense Chuck Hagel, Chief of Staff to Deputy Secretary of Defense Ash Carter, and Chief of Staff to Commerce Secretary Penny Pritzker. While at the Defense Department, Anderson was twice awarded the Department of Defense Medal for Distinguished Public Service, the Department’s highest civilian service award. During her tenure at DoD, National Journal described Anderson as one of the “25 Women Who Shape National Policy.”

From 2004 to 2010, Anderson held senior positions in the US Senate, as professional staff on both the US Senate Homeland Security and Governmental Affairs Committee and the Senate Select Committee on Intelligence, and worked for three US Senators on intelligence, foreign, and defense affairs.

She is a member of the Council on Foreign Relations, a member of the Truman Center for National Policy’s Advisory Board, and a Founding Member of CHIEF in Washington, DC. Anderson is also an Industry Commissioner on the Atlantic Council’s Commission on Improving DoD Engagement with New Companies and Innovators.

Anderson received her B.A. from Hendrix College, a Master’s degree from Harvard University, and completed all coursework for her Master’s from Columbia University’s School of International and Public Affairs.