Cassandra Varanka

Cassandra Varanka is a senior advisor at NSI and director of legislative affairs for the Nuclear Threat Initiative’s (NTI) government relations program where she develops and advances legislative strategies to shape impactful policy outcomes that further the organization’s agenda in the US government.

Prior to joining NTI, Varanka served as a professional staff member for the House Committee on Homeland Security, where she advised on intelligence and counterterrorism policy, negotiated critical legislation, and supported strategic oversight efforts. Previously, as legislative assistant to Rep. Jan Schakowsky, Varanka was instrumental in advancing bipartisan legislation, including the Women, Peace, and Security Act.

Varanka previously served as policy director at Women’s Action for New Directions (WAND), advocating for nuclear disarmament and women’s voices in national security, and advocacy director at Foreign Policy for America, where she coordinated policy initiatives and engaged congressional stakeholders on pressing foreign policy issues.

Varanka holds a master’s in Peace and Conflict Studies from the University of Queensland and a bachelor’s in Political Science from Saint Michael’s College.