Mr. Bern joined the Senior Executive Service in August 2023 to serve as the Assistant Inspector General for Legislative Affairs and Communications for the Department of Defense Inspector General (DoD OIG). He brings to this role nearly 20 years of experience in government oversight, legislative affairs, and communications. As the Assistant Inspector General, he leads a talented team of professionals who inform Congress and the American public about the DoD OIG’s mission and independent oversight work.
Prior to joining the DoD OIG, Mr. Bern served more than a decade in senior leadership roles for the Office of the Special Inspector General for Afghanistan Reconstruction (SIGAR), which Congress created in 2008 to conduct oversight of U.S. reconstruction efforts in Afghanistan. Most recently, as the agency’s Chief of Staff, he helped manage SIGAR’s operations during the turbulent periods of peace negotiations between the United States and the Taliban, the global COVID-19 pandemic, and the U.S. withdrawal from Afghanistan. As the Strategic Advisor to the Special Inspector General, Mr. Bern implemented several initiatives for critical oversight priorities. As the Director of Congressional Relations and Government Affairs, he led SIGAR’s proactive outreach efforts to Congress, NATO partner countries, the United Nations, the World Bank, and other key stakeholders in the international reconstruction effort.
Mr. Bern began his Federal career working for the U.S. House of Representatives. He served for two members of Congress in various capacities, including as a Chief of Staff, Legislative Director, Senior Legislative Assistant, and Military Legislative Assistant for a member of the House Armed Services Committee. In these roles, he worked on several bipartisan policy issues related to national security, intelligence, foreign affairs, international trade, and energy.
Mr. Bern earned a B.S. in Political Science and a B.A. in Economics from the University of Utah in Salt Lake City. He also obtained an M.A. in Strategic Security Studies from the National Defense University in Washington, D.C.