Professor Sean O'Keefe

Sean O’Keefe has had a distinguished and multifaceted career. He currently holds the Howard G. and S. Louise Phanstiel Chair in Strategic Management and Leadership at the Maxwell School of Citizenship and Public Affairs, Syracuse University. Additionally, he serves as a Distinguished Senior Advisor (Non-Resident) at the Center for Strategic & International Studies.
Mr. O’Keefe’s career includes significant leadership roles in both the public and private sectors. He was the Chairman and Chief Executive Officer of EADS North America and a Vice President at General Electric Company. In academia, he served as Chancellor of Louisiana State University.
In government, Mr. O’Keefe held several high-profile positions. He was the Administrator of NASA, Deputy Director of the U.S. Office of Management and Budget, and Secretary of the Navy. He also served as the Comptroller and Chief Financial Officer of the U.S. Department of Defense and was the Staff Director for the Senate Defense Appropriations Subcommittee.
Mr. O’Keefe’s academic contributions are notable as well. He held the Louis A. Bantle Chair in Business and Government Policy at the Maxwell School of Citizenship and Public Affairs, Syracuse University. He also worked at Pennsylvania State University as the Special Assistant to the Senior Vice President for Research, Dean of the Graduate School, and Professor of Business Administration.