President-elect Joe Biden has nominated seasoned diplomat and La Salle University graduate William Burns to head the Central Intelligence Agency, writes Matthew Lee for The Philadelphia Inquirer.

Burns is a former ambassador to Russia and Jordan who has been at the State Department for more than three decades under both Democratic and Republican presidents. Most recently, he served as deputy secretary of state. He retired in 2014 to run the Carnegie Endowment of International Peace.

And while he has never been an intelligence officer, Burns has worked with many abroad.

“I developed enormous respect for my colleagues in the CIA,” Burns said. “I served with them in hard places around the world. I saw firsthand the courage and professionalism that they displayed and the sacrifices that their families made.”

When nominating Burns for the position, Biden emphasized that he shares his belief that intelligence has to remain apolitical.

“Ambassador Burns will bring the knowledge, judgment, and perspective we need to prevent and confront threats before they can reach our shores,” said Biden. “The American people will sleep soundly with him as our next CIA director.”

Read more about William Burns at The Philadelphia Inquirer by clicking here.