Sandra K. O'Hern - Defense Security Cooperation University

Faculty

Advising and Consulting (A&C)

Sandra O’Hern joined the Institute for Security Governance (ISG) in June 2022 as a member of the Advising and Consulting (A&C) team. Ms. O’Hern works with partner nations in Europe on Institutional Capacity Building (ICB), specifically in the areas of strategy, plans, and policy; resource management; human resource management; and legal frameworks and authorities. 

Ms. O’Hern began her federal civil service career in 2013 as an Attorney Advisor with Twelfth Air Force (12 AF)/Air Forces Southern (AFSOUTH), the air component to U.S. Southern Command (USSOUTHCOM). In 2018, she transitioned to the Defense Institute of International Legal Studies (DIILS) as a Regional Program Director (RPD) for the European region. Ms. O’Hern has served on both active duty and as a reservist in the U.S. Air Force for over 20 years.  

In her role as DIILS RPD, Ms. O’Hern lead programs in over 15 countries focused on training and legal institutional capacity building in the areas of legislative reform, legal policy development, interagency coordination, human rights, counterterrorism, counter-corruption, military justice, hybrid warfare, and military operational law. As an attorney-advisor with AFSOUTH, Ms. O’Hern focused on international agreements and operational law issues in Central and South America to include numerous real-world humanitarian assistance and disaster response (HADR) operations. She also served as the command ethics counselor. In her military capacity, Ms. O’Hern has served on both active duty, and as a reservist, with the Judge Advocate General Corps (JAG) since 2002. She has served in numerous joint and overseas assignments to include as legal advisor in combined air operations centers in Japan, Germany, and NORTHCOM/NORAD in support of Operation Noble Eagle. Ms. O’Hern also deployed as NATO Rule of Law Provincial Team Chief for Kandahar, Afghanistan in charge of developing judicial and prosecutorial capacity and access to justice for women and children. She is currently a Lieutenant Colonel assigned to Headquarters Air Force International and Operational Law Directorate at the Pentagon. Ms. O’Hern has also served as an international human rights law subject matter expert for the International Committee of the Red Cross (ICRC). 

Ms. O’Hern holds a Juris Doctor from Marquette University Law School, with a specialty in international law, and a Bachelor of Arts in German and International Affairs from Marquette University in Milwaukee, Wisconsin. She also completed Air Force professional military education programs at Air Command and Staff College and Air War College. Ms. O’Hern also serves as a family mentor volunteer with the International Rescue Committee (IRC) assisting refugee resettlement in the greater Tucson area in Arizona.