National Academy of Public Administration National Academy of Public Administration
Suzanne Vares-Lum
Fellow

Suzanne Vares-Lum

Member Since 2023

Biography

Suzanne Vares-Lum became the director of the Daniel. K Inouye Asia-Pacific Center for Security Studies in January 2025. Prior to coming to the Center, she served as President of the East-West Center.

Born and raised in Hawaiʻi, she served 34 years in all three components of the U.S. Army (Army National Guard, Regular Army, and Army Reserve) before retiring as a Major General in 2021.

In her last military assignment, Vares-Lum spent 5 ½ years at the U.S. Indo-Pacific Command, where she served as the Mobilization Assistant to the Commander, including periods as acting Chief of Staff and Deputy Commander. As a Brigadier General, she served as the Mobilization Assistant to the J5, Director of Strategic Plans and Policy, U.S. Pacific Command.

History of Employment

Position Division Organization Start End
President East-West Center 2022 2024
Owner Consultant/Advisor Vares-Lum Indo-Pacific Consulting 2021 2021
Mobilization Assistant to the Commander, Major General USA Command Group US Indo-Pacific Command 2018 2021
Deputy Director, Brigadier General, USA Strategic Planning and Policy US Indo-Pacific Command 2015 2018
Senior Intelligence Officer/Deputy Chief, Chief of Joint Staff, Colonel Headquarters Hawaii National Guard 2012 2015
Director Daniel K. Inouye Asia Pacific Center for Security Studies 2025 Current

Expertise

Primary Sector

Federal

Primary Functions

Academic Administration Military Service Nonprofit / NGO leadership Organizational Structure/Design/Development Strategic Planning

Areas of Expertise

Defense Education Foreign Policy Gender Policy Higher Education National Security Nonprofit/Philanthropy Veterans Affairs
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