Michael Knutson - Institute for Security Governance

Faculty

Mr. Michael Knutson joined the Institute for Security Governance (ISG) Defense Governance and Management Team (DGMT) in April 2018 as a co-lead for Defense Institution Building initiatives in the Western Hemisphere and has since worked Institutional Capacity Building (ICB) issues with federally funded research and development centers (FFRDCs) and contracted subject matter expert (SME) teams in Argentina, the Bahamas, the Dominican Republic, and Guatemala. Mr. Knutson’s work in SOUTHCOM and NORTHCOM focus areas has helped strengthen bilateral and multilateral defense and security relationships; improved partner nation capability and resource planning in support of national and bilateral priorities; and enhanced partner defense management systems.

Mr. Knutson retired in the rank of Colonel after serving 30 years in the US Army in a wide variety of policy, planning, diplomatic, and international security cooperation assignments.

Mr. Knutson's assignments included tours as: Senior Military Assistant to the Deputy Assistant Secretary of Defense/Western Hemisphere Affairs at the Office of the Secretary of Defense; Senior Defense Official/Defense Attaché at the US Embassy Bogota, Colombia; Senior Defense Official/Defense Attaché at the US Embassy Guatemala City, Guatemala; Army Attaché at the US Embassy Buenos Aires, Argentina; Army Attaché at the US Embassy Santo Domingo, Dominican Republic; Country Director for Colombia at the Office of Secretary of Defense; and Army Section Chief and Operations Officer at the US Embassy in San Salvador, El Salvador. Following retirement from the US Army in 2017, Mr. Knutson served as an Associate with Booz Allen Hamilton before returning to government service with the Advising & Consulting team at ISG in 2018.

Mr. Knutson holds advanced degrees in Latin American Affairs from Tulane University and Military Affairs from the Escuela de Defensa Nacional in Buenos Aires, Argentina. He is a graduate of the United States Military Academy, Army Command and General Staff School, and Joint Forces Staff College. Mr. Knutson lives with his wife in the Monterey Bay area.