During her career at senior levels on Capitol Hill and in private industry, Ann Elise Sauer acquired extensive experience in national security and government issues, including public and private policy matters, acquisition and contracting, federal budget issues, and the corporate world.
From 2013-2023, Ann was a founding Senior Partner in Inglee Sauer Market Strategies, LLC, a strategic consulting firm that specialized in providing timely, critical advice to corporations, think tanks and other non-profit organizations, and government entities. Ann and her partners worked primarily with defense and aerospace companies, providing input to their government affairs, business development and long-range planning organizations.
Prior to co-founding ISM Strategies, in 2012 Ann served as Staff Director for the Minority of the United States Senate Committee on Armed Services. She reported to Senator John McCain (R-AZ), Ranking Republican Member of the Committee, and managed the Republican staff of the committee, who were responsible for oversight of all issues in the national security arena, particularly annual defense authorization legislation. She ensured the committee staff supported the Republican Members of the committee and their staffs, coordinated with the Democratic Members and staff, and worked effectively with Leadership and Senators on both sides of the aisle.
Prior to re-joining the Senate Armed Services Committee staff, Ann was the owner of a consulting firm specializing in federal budget and fiscal policy information and insights. She provided advisory services to major defense corporations, worked with think tanks and analytical firms, and supported smaller entities through affiliations with other consulting firms.
From 2000 to 2011, Ann held several senior positions as a Vice President working directly for the Senior Vice President of Lockheed Martin Corporation’s Government Affairs office. She worked directly with the corporation’s senior leadership, advising on all matters relating to the federal budget, identifying and prioritizing wide-ranging policy issues within the corporation or under consideration in the government, and developing and implementing the corporation's strategies related to tax, environmental, procurement, logistics and sustainment, and federal contracting policies and programs. At various times, she managed the corporation's Washington-based strategies related to C4ISR, advanced development, and unmanned systems programs and strategies, and led the team responsible for supporting the corporation’s Navy, Marine Corps, Air Force, and Coast Guard programs. She was the corporation’s federal budget expert, responsible for tracking and analyzing the federal budget, both defense and non-defense.
Before joining Lockheed Martin, Ann worked in the United States Senate for 23 years, including extensive experience as a senior professional staff member of the Senate Armed Services Committee.
Ann is currently a member of the Board of Directors of ANSER Corporation, a northern Virginia-based non-profit firm with over 65 years providing analytical and planning services to the federal government. She is a Senior Advisor to the Center for Strategic and International Studies. She has served on the boards of Women In Defense and Women in International Security. She is a member of the Board of Directors of the Leadership Council for Women in National Security (LCWINS), an organization focused on promoting gender parity in national security positions in the federal government. She also provides pro bono confirmation hearing support for women nominated to Department of Defense and other federal government Presidential appointments.
Ann has held the highest levels of security clearance, including TS/SCI.
Ann earned her Bachelor of Arts in Liberal Sciences from Georgetown University, specializing in International Relations. She also received an Associate of Arts Degree in Business from Ashland University in Ashland, Ohio.
Ann currently splits her time between the northern Virginia area and her family home in West Farmington, OH.