WILL SCHLICKENMAIER
FOUNDER
Will Schlickenmaier, founder of Nonlinear Strategies LLC, is a trusted strategic advisor with over 20 years of experience shaping and enabling national security transformation across the US government – serving at the Central Intelligence Agency (CIA), National Security Council (NSC), Office of the Secretary of Defense (OSD), and the Office of the Director of National Intelligence (ODNI).
Will has built, directed and implemented organization-level, intelligence community (IC)-wide, and national-level strategic reviews by developing and leveraging new concepts and frameworks – “nonlinear strategies” – to help organizations advance their visions and successfully navigate the volatile, nuanced and complex world we face today.
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Developed agency and IC-wide strategies and change management initiatives as Senior Advisor to the Principal Deputy Director of National Intelligence (2025 – 2026)
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Led enterprise risk management across all Presidentially- and Congressionally-mandated authorities and programs, as CIA’s Chief of Strategic Risk Management, as well as building new capabilities in the CIA's Office of the Chief Strategy Officer (CSO) (2022-2025)
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Built, led and scaled multiple multi million dollar innovation capability development programs across the IC, including concept development, talent management, resource planning, advocacy with Executive and Legislative funders, interagency integration, and impact evaluation (2017-2022)
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Recognized as a leader in cross-cutting strategic analysis as member of CIA’s Senior Analytic Service (SAS) (2016-2026)
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Co-directed strategic assessments on future nuclear requirements and developed deterrence strategy as a nuclear strategist in OSD (2011-2012)
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Led US government Europe-wide policy formulation and oversight of defense, military, arms control and nonproliferation initiatives, as well as bilateral relations with Eastern European countries, as Director for Eastern and Strategic European Affairs, NSC, White House (2009-2011)
Will teaches in Georgetown University’s Department of Government, where his courses and seminars cover international relations, US foreign policy and national security strategy development and implementation. He is also the co-founder and senior advisor to Georgetown University’s largest student-run national security talent incubator, where he mentors the next generation of leaders in national security, defense intelligence and economic statecraft. Will also writes on topics relating to national security decision making, emerging national security technologies, intelligence frameworks and models, the future of foreign policy, and national security talent development.
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Software Defined Intelligence, Studies in Intelligence (September 2026).
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Cohort and Career: Cross-Class Bonds and Foreign Policy Professional Development, Journal of Political Science Education (March 2026).
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Agile Analysis: Transforming Intelligence Production Through Lean Start-up Methods, Studies in Intelligence (September 2023).
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Playing the Generals’ Game: Superpowers, Self-Limiting, and Strategic Emerging Technologies, Georgetown University (August 2020).
Prior to his public service, Will was a distinguished graduate of Georgetown University’s School of Foreign Service (B.S.F.S., International Security Studies, magna cum laude, 2001) and Columbia University’s School of International and Public Affairs (MA in International Affairs, International Security Policy, 2003). In 2020, he received his Ph.D. in International Relations, with distinction, from Georgetown University’s Government Department.
A lifelong resident of Northern Virginia, Will lives in Falls Church with his wife and son.