Christian's Bio
Christian Lee joined Cornerstone Government Affairs as a principal in July 2020 after a distinguished career in the United States Coast Guard, retiring as a captain. Before joining Cornerstone, Christian was assigned to the Senate Appropriations Committee, where he served in a professional staff member capacity on the Subcommittee on Homeland Security for three years. Over the course of his tenure, Christian was the lead analyst for the Transportation Security Administration, Cybersecurity and Infrastructure Security Agency, Secret Service, Immigration and Customs Enforcement, Countering Weapons of Mass Destruction Office, Federal Law Enforcement Training Centers, and Office of the Secretary and Management accounts, overseeing more than $10 billion in appropriations annually.Preceding that position, Christian served as the acquisition appropriations coordinator in the Coast Guard Office of Budget and Programs. In that role, he was responsible for formulating and defending the Coast Guard’s near $2 billion annual acquisition appropriation and $6 billion Capital Investment Plan.
Christian’s initial Congressional experience was as assistant liaison to the House of Representatives, where he started in August 2001, just prior to the attacks on September 11th. Christian conducted critical outreach and facilitated senior level engagements and with Members of Congress and staff during a time of unprecedented change and growth for the Coast Guard, including passage of landmark Homeland Security Act of 2002, and establishment of the Department of Homeland Security. Christian remained in the House of Representatives for an additional tour as the Coast Guard Fellow on the Select Committee on Homeland Security. In this capacity, he advised the Chairman on maritime security matters and helped establish the permanent standing Committee on Homeland Security.
Christian was a career Coast Guard cutterman, serving eight years at sea, engaging primarily in counter-narcotics and immigration enforcement operations in the Caribbean region. He served over four years as commanding officer of three different cutters, including his most recent assignment as the first commanding officer of Cutter Richard Etheridge, a Fast Response Cutter based in Miami Beach, Florida.
Christian is a graduate of the United States Coast Guard Academy, where he was a standout multi-sport athlete, earning induction to the Academy’s Athletic Hall of Fame in 2017. He holds a Master of Public Administration Degree from the Maxwell School of Syracuse University, a Master of Science from the National War College, and a Master of Arts from the Naval War College. Christian and his wife, Heather, reside in Silver Spring, MD with their three children, Kinsey, Brendan and Sophie.