Alfredo Camacho

Mr. Alfredo “AC” Camacho has built a career at the intersection of public health, biodefense, and national security, applying his scientific training to strengthen the nation’s ability to detect, identify, and respond to chemical, biological, radiological, and nuclear threats. He currently serves as the Integrated Early Warning (IEW) Capability Portfolio Manager within the Office of the Deputy Assistant Secretary of War for Chemical, Biological, Radiological, and Nuclear Defense (ODASW(CBRND)). In this position, he oversees research, development, and acquisition efforts across the Chemical and Biological Defense Program, guiding projects from early science and technology through advanced development. His work focuses on improving the Department of War’s capacity to detect and characterize CBRN hazards in time to support rapid warning and informed decision-making. He partners closely with the Medical Readiness and Response, Protection, and Contamination Mitigation Capability Portfolio Managers to ensure that IEW efforts are aligned with the broader CBRND enterprise. Mr. Cam acho’s work within the Department of War began at the Joint Science and Technology Office for Chemical and Biologic al Defense, where he served as the lead support contractor to the Medical Diagnostic Team Lead. In that role, he collabor ated with the Capability Program Executive for Chemical, Biological, Radiological, and Nuclear Defense to advance medical diagnostic technologies from the laboratory toward point of need. His contributions supported the transition of several diagnostic capabilities that are now progr essing into operational use. Earlier in his career, Mr. Camacho served as a microbiology subject matter expert and science lead for the Former Soviet Union portfolio under the Biological Threat Reduction Program, which is part of the Cooperative Threat Reduction Program. His work supported international efforts to strengthen laboratory systems in partner nations so they could better prevent , detect, and respond to outbreaks caused by especially dangerous pathogens. Through this work, he helped enhance biosurveillance capacity, improve laboratory safety and security, and build enduring scientific partnerships across the regi on. Mr. Ca macho earned a Bachelor of Science in Biology from Virginia Commonwealth University, where he focused on computa tional biology. He later completed a Master of Science in Biodefense with a concentration in biomedicine at George Mason University. During his graduate studies, he conducted research at the National Center for Biodefense and Infecti ous Disease, gaining deeper experience in pathogen biology and emerging infectious disease threats. He is currently pursuing a doctoral degree in public health with a concentration in clinical laboratory science and practice. His research focuses on developing next generation sequencing based diagnostic tests for identifying bacterial pathogens that are classifi ed as urgent and serious public health threats such as multidrug‑resistant tuberculosis. Across his career, Mr. Camacho has remained committed to advancing scientific innovation in service of national and global security. His work reflects a combination of technical expertise, strategic insight, and a dedication to strengthening preparedness against evolving biological and chemical threats.