Nancy Ramsey is an accomplished woman who has keen understanding of the world of national security, foreign policy and other political issues. A former legislative director to Senator John Kerry from 1984-1988, Ramsey advised the senator on a variety of issues including the federal budget, space, technology and education. She also served as president of a Washington D.C.-based consultant firm that specialized in arms control, international affairs and national security. In 1980, she co-founded the Committee for National Security, a non-profit, non-partisan national leadership group created to encourage public debate on national security issues. Other experience includes serving as director of SALT (a national citizen's group supporting the SALT II Treaty), legislative director for the Women's International League for Peace and Freedom, staff assistant to the governor of Massachusetts and more.
Today, Ramsey works as futurist who independently consults with the Global Business Network in the areas of scenario building and strategic planning. Her clients span from Georgia to Milan, Italy. She serves on the advisory board to The Institute for Women and Technology and is a member of the National Academy of Engineering's Forum on Diversity in the Engineering Workforce. She recently co-authored her second book, The Futures of Women: Scenarios for the 21 st Century . Her first book, Nuclear Weapons Decision Making , was published in the United Kingdom in 1986. When not busy with consulting or performing numerous speaking engagements, Ramsey enjoys running Morning Star Imports, a small, California-based company that specializes in ethnic jewelry from the Middle East and North Africa.
Born in West Hartford, Conn. in 1940, Ramsey received an undergraduate degree in history, with a minor in government and international relations from Colby College in Waterville, Maine. She later earned a master's degree in social work from the University of Chicago.
Ramsey currently lives in Tiburon, Calif. with her husband, Rusty Schweickart, a former Apollo astronaut. They have seven children and 10 grandchildren.