Dr. Nicole V. Crain is the Dean of Faculty and Academic Programs at the Dwight D. Eisenhower School for National Security and Resource Strategy at the National Defense University (NDU). In this role, she oversees the development and execution of the curriculum that prepares mid-career, high-potential leaders from the Department of Defense, federal agencies, allied nations, and industry to address strategic challenges in national security.
Dr. Crain has extensive experience in economics, public policy, and national security, having previously served as Chair of the National Security and Industrial Base Department and Professor of Economics at the Eisenhower School. Her expertise spans public finance, regulation, and industrial policy, with a particular focus on the defense industrial base and economic resilience.
She has advised government agencies, contributed to national security research, and been published and cited in policy and academic circles. Her career includes leadership roles in academia, industry, and consulting, and she has received multiple awards for excellence.
Dr. Crain received her Bachelor's, Master's, and Doctorate degrees from George Mason University, where she was an Earhart and Bradley Fellow, nominated by Nobel Laureate James Buchanan.