Allegra Richards

Emerging Technology Strategy, US Department of Defense

Allegra is a Project Director focused on emerging technology strategy at the US Department of Defense. Previously Allegra was a strategic investor in emerging tech and national security In-Q-Tel (IQT), where she focused on energy, space, microelectronics and biotechnology investments, and worked alongside government partners and portfolio companies to transfer and incorporate novel technology solutions into critical mission areas. Prior to IQT, Allegra led global product innovation in emerging markets at Nestle, served in a number of foreign policy roles, and was a White House speechwriter. Allegra holds an A.B. from Harvard, an M.B.A. from The Wharton School, and an M.A. in International Studies from The University of Pennsylvania. Allegra is an Aspen Strategy Group Rising Leader, a term member at the Council on Foreign Relations, and a non-resident Strategy & Statecraft Fellow at the Center for Strategic and International Studies (CSIS). She is from upstate New York, speaks French and Italian, and lives in Washington, D.C.