Lee Kair is a Principal at The Chertoff Group, where he leads the Firm’s Transportation & Innovation practice. 

Lee is uniquely qualified to advise companies on both security risk and growth strategies, given his extensive background in federal security operations and acquisitions. Lee specializes in helping companies who want to expand their business in National Security and Homeland Security agencies grow organically. He also guides large companies in all commercial sectors, to mitigate their security risk and enhance resiliency.

As Assistant Administrator for Security Operations at the Transportation Security Administration, Lee led TSA’s workforce of approximately 54,000 employees at more than 450 airports, with a budget of more than $3.6B.  As a Federal Security Director, he directed transportation security functions at six airports in Central Florida and the greater Tampa Bay area. Lee developed and led TSA’s strategic initiatives program and served as Chief Procurement Officer, supporting $2.7B in acquisitions.

Lee helped establish and was the first Chief of Mission Support centralizing the administrative functions of TSA. Internationally, he served as the Regional Director for Europe/Africa/Middle East, where he led for tactical operations and harmonization of international aviation security. During his tenure as TSA’s Regional Director, he also served as the DHS Attaché to Germany where he was the primary advisor and integrator to the US Ambassador to Germany and his senior staff for all DHS issues.

Earlier in his career, Lee served in the United States Air Force and as a civil servant at the U.S. Coast Guard. While on active duty in the Air Force, he led acquisition for major weapon systems, research & development, and operational & contingency environments. While stationed at the Pentagon and the Office of Management and Budget, he managed several DOD, service-wide and government-wide E-Business systems.

Lee holds a Bachelor of Science in Mechanical Engineering from Florida State University and a Master of Science in Government Contract Management from the Air Force Institute of Technology.

Recent Engagements

• Advised a leading global technology company regarding Federal acquisition strategy and capture support to successfully win multiple multi-hundred-million-dollar Federal contracts.
• Provided expertise and advice to an international space company to establish a FOCI mitigated entity and associated facility clearance.
• Facilitated the creation of a comprehensive corporate strategy for a large IT services company’s entry into the Homeland Security sector.

Expertise

• Chief of Operations (A), Transportation Security Administration
• Chief of Mission Support (A), Transportation Security Administration
• Assistant Administrator for Security Operations, Transportation Security Administration
• 2-time Federal Security Director (Central Florida and Greater Tampa Bay)
• Regional Director, Europe/Africa/Middle East and DHS Attaché to Germany, TSA/DHS
• Assistant Administrator for Acquisition and Head of Contracting Activity, Transportation Security Administration
• Senior Advisor to the Director of Defense Procurement and Acquisition Policy (Department of Defense)

Education

• M.S. Government Contract Management, The Airforce Institute of Technology, Wright Patterson AFB
• B.S. Mechanical Engineering, Florida State University