Shedd served in the U.S. government for nearly 33 years. Since leaving the federal government, he has worked at The Heritage Foundation and as an adjunct professor at Patrick Henry College. He is an independent national security consultant, serves on several corporate boards, and is actively supporting several missions and NGOs such as Justice & Mercy International and Samaritan’s Purse.
In August 2014, Shedd was named Acting Director of the Defense Intelligence Agency following four years of service as Deputy Director. Until January 2015 he led the Defense Intelligence Enterprise workforce comprised of more than 16,500 military and civilian employees worldwide. This workforce spans the Defense Intelligence Enterprise within the Department of Defense with an intelligence mission and/or function, plus all their stakeholders involved in creating, sustaining and enhancing mission capacity.
Shedd previously served from May 2007 to August 2010 as the Director of National Intelligence (DNI) Deputy Director for Policy, Plans, and Requirements, where he was responsible for overseeing the formulation and implementation of major intelligence community policies across the full spectrum of issues, from information sharing and intelligence community authorities to analytic standards, among others. In particular, he led the review of Executive Order 12333, the foundational U.S. intelligence policy, which was revised by President George W. Bush in July 2008. Additionally, Shedd developed and implemented a National Intelligence Strategy, published in August 2009 for the intelligence community and led all strategic planning efforts to determine future intelligence priorities for the Community and the Nation.
From May 2005 to April 2007, Shedd served as Chief of Staff and, later, Acting Director of the Intelligence Staff to the Director of National Intelligence. Prior to the creation of the Office of the Director of National Intelligence, Shedd held intelligence policy positions at the National Security Council (NSC) from February 2001 to May 2005. He served as the NSC’s Special Assistant to the President and Senior Director for Intelligence Programs and Reform. He became been directly involved in the implementation of intelligence reform stemming from the 9/11 Commission report in July 2004, the Intelligence Reform and Terrorism Prevention Act of 2004, and the Weapons of Mass Destruction (WMD) Commission’s report to the President in March 2005.
From 1984 to 1993, Shedd was posted overseas in the U.S. Embassies in Costa Rica and Mexico. Shedd has also held a variety of senior management assignments at the Central Intelligence Agency, including Chief of Congressional Liaison.
Shedd holds a B.A. degree in economics and political science from Geneva College in Beaver Falls, Pennsylvania and a M.A. degree from Georgetown University’s School of Foreign Service in Latin American Studies. Shedd was born in Bolivia and grew up in Latin America.