Elaine C. Duke

Elaine C. Duke was appointed as the department’s first Deputy Under Secretary for Management on Oct. 29, 2007, by Homeland Security Secretary Michael Chertoff. With the Under Secretary for Management, Ms. Duke is responsible for the department’s $42 billion budget, appropriations, expenditure of funds, accounting and finance; procurement; human resources and personnel; information technology systems; facilities, property, equipment, and other material resources; and identification and tracking of performance measurements.

Ms. Duke served as the department’s Chief Procurement Officer from January 2006 until her appointment as Deputy Under Secretary for Management. She provided leadership over the department’s $14 billion in contracts, and $11 billion in grant programs for state and local governments. Ms. Duke was the department’s Deputy Chief Procurement Officer from October 2004 to December 2005, where she championed the creation of the Acquisition Professional Career Program to re-build the federal acquisition workforce for the 21st century.

Ms. Duke assisted in the stand-up of the Department of Homeland Security while at the Transportation Security Administration, where she served as the Deputy Assistant Administrator beginning in August 2002. While with TSA, she successfully delivered an acquisition program that met the post 9/11 legislative mandate to federalize passenger screening and baggage screening airports.

Ms. Duke spent most of her career with the U.S. Navy where she held various acquisition positions of progressive responsibility. She served as the director, Office of Contract Policy, as well as the Deputy Director of Hull, Mechanical and Electrical Division in the Contracts Directorate with the Naval Sea Systems Command. While on the staff of the Assistant Secretary of the Navy (Installations & Environment), Ms. Duke oversaw the base closure and realignment program. She developed and implemented contracting strategies as well as a first ever grant program that provided for financial assistance to revitalize the local communities impacted by the base closures. Ms. Duke also held various acquisition positions with the Naval Facilities Engineering Command, including the Deputy Director of the Contracting Department at the Navy Public Works Center, Pearl Harbor, Hawaii.

She began her career as a contracting officer for the U.S. Air Force. In addition to her work at the Department of Defense, Ms. Duke served as the Deputy Director of Contracting and Property Management for the Smithsonian Institution and Director of Acquisition and Grant Services for the Federal Railroad Administration.

Ms. Duke holds a Bachelor of Science degree in business management and a Master’s degree in business administration.

During her service with the federal government, Ms. Duke has been the recipient of the Presidential Meritorious Rank Award, the Transportation Security Administration’s Silver Medal for Customer Service, and the Department of Army Commander’s Award for Public Service.

This Speaker's Events

Procurement Forum:  “Secrets of Building Alliance Partnerships with Prime Contractors”

A challenge faced by many small businesses is how to partner and develop long-term relationships with larger prime contractors. Speakers on this panel will help demystify the secrets to building strong alliances, and will include both small businesses and large contractors who partner with them.

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