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
