Keith Payne is Professor and Head of the Graduate Department of Defense and Strategic Studies, Missouri State University (Washington Campus). Dr. Payne is also President and co-founder of the National Institute for Public Policy, a nonprofit research center located in Fairfax, Virginia.
Dr. Payne served in the Department of Defense as the Deputy Assistant Secretary of Defense for Forces Policy. He received the Distinguished Public Service Medal and the Forces Policy office Dr. Payne led received a Joint Meritorious Unit Award. In this position, Dr. Payne was the head of U.S. delegation in numerous allied consultations and in “Working Group Two” negotiations on BMD cooperation with the Russian Federation. In 2005 he was awarded the Vicennial Medal from Georgetown University for his many years on the faculty of the graduate National Security Studies Program.
