From the Hudson Valley to West Point
Cait Conley is a fourth-generation native of New York's Hudson Valley, raised in a working-class family with a postal worker mother and a construction worker father. Her life's trajectory was pivotally shaped by the events of September 11, 2001. As a junior in high school watching the Twin Towers fall, she felt an immediate call to serve her country. The very next day, she began the application process for the United States Military Academy at West Point, becoming the first in her family to graduate from college. After West Point, she continued her education, eventually earning master's degrees from both MIT and Harvard's Kennedy School, building an academic foundation for a career in public service.
A Decorated Military and Special Ops Career
Conley's professional record is rooted in
a distinguished 16-year career as an active-duty U.S. Army officer. During her service, she completed six overseas deployments to combat zones, including Iraq and Afghanistan. Her service earned her three Bronze Stars for her leadership under pressure. Conley broke barriers within the military, becoming one of the first women to serve in a leadership capacity in Special Operations. She spent over a decade in the special operations community, serving as a team leader and troop commander for counterterrorism task forces, operating in some of the world's most challenging environments.
Serving in the White House and Homeland Security
After her extensive military career, Conley transitioned to high-level civilian roles in national security. She served as a Director for Counterterrorism on the National Security Council at the White House under the Biden administration. In this position, she was responsible for developing policies to protect Americans from foreign threats. Later, she joined the Cybersecurity and Infrastructure Security Agency (CISA), a part of the Department of Homeland Security. At CISA, she served as a senior advisor, overseeing the agency's mission to secure the nation's elections from physical and cyber threats and helping to safeguard critical infrastructure. Her work on national security led to Russia adding her to a list of Americans banned from entering the country.
The 2026 Congressional Campaign
In 2026, Conley is channeling her experience in national service into a new arena: electoral politics. She is the Democratic nominee for New York's 17th Congressional District, challenging incumbent Republican Mike Lawler in what is considered one of the country's most competitive and closely watched races of the midterm elections. Her campaign frames her run as a continuation of her lifelong commitment to service, arguing that the problem-solving skills honed in combat zones and the White House are needed to fix a "broken system" in Washington. Having never held public office before, her candidacy represents a transition from defending the country abroad to seeking to govern at home.
