MEET RCP
JASON P. HOUSER
Jason P. Houser is a nationally recognized expert in homeland security, immigration, and intelligence with 20+ years’ leadership experience across government, military, and the private sector. As Founder and Partner of Red Cedar Partners, Jason helps clients navigate complex national security, defense, intel and immigration reform issues.
Most recently, Jason served as Chief of Staff at U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE), where he led the agency’s modernization efforts, helped shape national enforcement priorities, and oversaw a global workforce of 22,000 employees and an $8 billion annual budget. He directed strategic hiring, data and insight dashboarding, and interagency collaboration to improve the effectiveness of immigration operations, including those at the US-Mexico border.
Previously, Jason served as a Foreign Engagement Officer at U.S. Cyber Command where he led global partnership initiatives focused on countering cyber threats and hybrid warfare tactics. He built and managed key alliances with partners in Europe, the Middle East, and Israel—strengthening U.S. and allied cyber defenses and coordinating efforts to deter state and non-state actors in cyberspace.
Earlier in his career, Jason served as Senior Advisor within DHS Customs and Border Protection (CBP) where he advised the CBP Commissioner and helped develop enforcement strategies to address evolving border security threats. His work supported CBP’s frontline mission, focusing on operational innovation, vetting, and intelligence integration.
Before entering government service, Jason worked on numerous high-profile campaigns across the country for progressive candidates including Governor Phil Bredesen, Senator John Kerry, Congressman Henry Cuellar and Secretary Hillary Clinton. He held multiple field, organizing, and fundraising roles supporting the Democratic party, labor unions and political nonprofits.
Jason is also currently an Intelligence Officer in the U.S. Navy Reserves, deploying to Afghanistan in 2015, and a range of high-level intelligence assignments for U.S. space, cyber, and maritime operations since.
Jason holds degrees from the University of Tennessee and George Mason University. He is a graduate of the Harvard Kennedy School’s National Security Program and has completed Joint Professional Military Education through the Naval War College and National Defense University.
Jaclyn Macek HOUSER
Jaclyn Macek Houser is a seasoned federal government consultant and strategic communications expert. She brings two decades of experience working with U.S. government clients, Fortune 500 companies, and non-profit organizations. As a Managing Partner for Red Cedar Partners, she leads administrative and strategic growth initiatives for the firm.
Over the last decade, Jaclyn has served in multiple leadership roles in the government consulting community. Most recently, she served as a Director at Partner Forces, where she co-lead the firm’s US Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) portfolio, driving complex mitigation, preparedness, and grant programs at the agency. Prior to that, she served as COO at Cambridge Global Advisors where she oversaw all administrative, financial, and business development operations, and engaged key clients including at the Department of Homeland Security (DHS) Management Directorate, Office of Science & Technology (S&T), and Office of the Chief Information Officer (OCIO), Cybersecurity and Infrastructure Agency (CISA).
Formerly, Jaclyn worked in-house for several progressive organizations. She served as Advocacy Director for the Truman National Security Project, where she oversaw the organization’s strategic campaigns, including “Operation Free” – a national, award-winning campaign of 5,000+ veterans, former military officials and national security leaders advocating for clean energy and climate change solutions. Jaclyn also worked for the Laborers’ International Union of North America (LIUNA) where she served as press liaison for the half-million-member union and supported multiple comms campaigns in support of labor and working families in the U.S. and Canada.
A proud Midwesterner, Jaclyn got her start on political campaigns in Michigan. She worked for the Michigan Democratic Party and Senator John Kerry’s presidential bid in 2004. Early in her career, she also worked for Greenberg Quinlan Rosner (GQR), a Democratic polling firm with clients in more than 80 countries around the world. While at GQR, Jaclyn led all marketing, media, and brand management for the firm, while also directing the publication and book tour for CEO Stan Greenberg’s memoir book, Dispatches from the War Room.
Jaclyn holds a Master of Public Policy from The George Washington University and a BA in Social Relations from Michigan State University. She is a certified Project Management Professional (PMP).