Major General (Retd.) Randy "Church" Kee

Director Ted Stevens Center for Arctic Security Studies

Maj. Gen. Randy “Church” Kee, United States Air Force (ret.) was appointed as the Director of the Ted Stevens Center for Arctic Security Studies on December 14, 2023. From August 23, 2021, to December 13, 2023, Kee served as the TSC Senior Advisor, Arctic Security Affairs, responsible to establish and conduct early operations of the center as Department of Defense’s sixth and newest regional center located at Joint Base Elmendorf-Richardson, near Anchorage, Alaska. Kee is responsible for leading the Stevens Center to engage in regional and global security issues through research, communication, and education. The goal of the center is to build strong, sustainable, international networks of security leaders to advance U.S. national security priorities in the Arctic region. Kee is also working with partner nations to ensure a stable, rules-based order in the Arctic that will benefit the United States and all Arctic nations.

In 2020, the President of the U.S. appointed Kee as a Commissioner to the U.S. Arctic Research Commission, and from January 4, 2016, to August 22, 2021, he served as the Executive Director of the Arctic Domain Awareness Center, a U.S. Department of Homeland Security Center of Excellence in Maritime Research, hosted by the University of Alaska. During his tenure in leading ADAC, a DHS Science and Technology Office of University Programs, U.S. Coast Guard and the U.S. Arctic Research Community recognized the center for contributions to “operator relevant” Arctic science and technology innovations, education and convergence events specifically oriented to address the challenges and to “enable the decision maker” in Arctic maritime crisis response. In volunteer “pro-bono” capacities, Kee serves a Global Fellow of the Woodrow Wilson Polar Institute; Network member of the Canadian Hosted North American and Arctic Defense and Security Network; he is the designated U.S. lead for a technology working group hosted by the Chief of Naval Research in support of the International Cooperative Engagement Program for Polar Research.

From late 2018 until early 2023, Kee served as the Co-chair of the Alaska Civilian Armed Services Team, a State of Alaska Advisory Board to the Governor. During his 30-year military career, Kee led at the squadron, group, wing, and Air Operations Center levels. General Kee’s staff assignments include U.S. Transportation Command, HQ USAF, and the U.S. Joint Staff in both Operations plus Strategic Plans and Policy Directorates. He is a command pilot and prior qualified navigator, and logged 4,700 flying hours, 700 of which were in combat (Bosnia, Iraq and Afghanistan). While in uniform he contributed to U.S. Arctic Strategy, supported domain awareness technology development, and defense support to regional crisis response. He has considerable political-military, defense policy and security cooperation experience. He culminated his military service as Director of Strategy, Policy, Planning and Capabilities for U.S. European Command (ECJ5/8) in Stuttgart, Germany. He holds three master’s degrees: Organizational Leadership, Air Mobility/Logistics Management, and Strategic Studies.