Francis Taylor

Francis X. Taylor is an Executive Fellow of the Global Policy Initiative at the Keough School of Global Affairs.

From 2014 to 2016, Taylor served as the under secretary for intelligence and analysis in the US Department of Homeland Security. He also is the former vice president and chief security officer for the General Electric Company in Fairfield, Connecticut. Before GE, he had a distinguished 35-year career in government service, where he held several senior positions managing investigations, security and counterterrorism issues.

From 2002 – 2005, Taylor served as the assistant secretary of state for diplomatic security and director of the Office of Foreign Missions, with a rank of ambassador. He also served as the US ambassador-at-large and coordinator for counterterrorism for the Department of State from July 2001 to November 2002. In this role, he was responsible for the implementing US counterterrorism policy overseas and coordinating the US government response in the aftermath of the 9/11/2001 attacks against our country. He also was a key State Department official in building the post 9/11 global coalition against terrorism.

During his 31 years of military service, Taylor served with distinction in numerous command and staff positions, rising to the rank of brigadier general in September 1996. In his final active duty assignment, Brigadier General Taylor served as the commander, Air Force Office of Special Investigations, Andrews Air Force Base, Maryland.

His awards and decorations include the US Distinguished Service Medal, the National Intelligence Distinguished Service Medal, the Legion of Merit, the Defense Superior Service Medal, the US Department of State Honor Award, and the Department of Homeland Security Distinguished Service Medal.

Taylor is a Notre Dame graduate with bachelor’s (’70) and master’s (’74) degrees in government and international studies. He is a distinguished graduate of the Notre Dame Air Force ROTC program.