Janaki Kates is a national security consultant and commentator drawing on her nearly 18 year career at the CIA. In addition, Janaki worked at the White House for both the Obama and Trump Administrations preparing the Director of National Intelligence for daily meetings with the President and Cabinet. Janaki has a BS in Aerospace Engineering from MIT, and a MA in Security Studies from Georgetown University. She lives in Arlington, VA with her husband and their two rambunctious sons. A DC native, Janaki grew up dancing and singing at Holton-Arms in various productions, and can't wait to get back on the stage!

Janaki is dancing for the Jennifer Bush-Lawson Foundation, an organization that serves economically vulnerable mothers and babies by increasing access to much-needed health care support, conducting research to affect systemic change, and ensuring they have the supplies needed to bring baby home. Janaki has worked with the Jennifer Bush-Lawson Foundation for several years to raise funds to support the most vulnerable in our midst: women and infant children who lack access to critical pre- and post-natal healthcare. Janaki dances in honor of Jennifer Lawson, a loving mother of three who tragically lost her life in 2014, and her vision for a community where every mother and newborn child receives the support they need to thrive.