BREAKING TODAY — Former CIA Director Gina Haspel is taking over as Chair of The CIA Officers Memorial Foundation’s board of directors. Haspel replaces Jeffrey Smith who has been with the Foundation in a variety of roles since it was created back in 2001.
The CIA's first female director was honored by the somewhat 'under the radar' charity last year for her service, and Smith’s ties to the organization reach all the way back to its creation, following the 2001 death of Johnny Micheal Spann in Afghanistan. Spann was the first American and the first CIA Officer killed in Afghanistan. His death led to the realization that unlike the military, the Agency didn’t have a solid support system in place to help take care of the families of fallen officers.
Smith has been Chair of the Foundation since 2019, when he took over the role from former acting director of the CIA (and current Cipher Brief Expert) John McLaughlin.
“Jeff was essential in establishing this incredible organization and he worked tirelessly for more than two decades to ensure that it was positioned to serve the needs of the families of Agency officers who have given their all for the country,” said John Edwards, President of the CIAOMF, in a press release. “His insistence on creating processes and policies that make certain effective stewardship of our supporters’ donations will be one of his more critical lasting legacies.”
The change at the top also prompted a statement from current CIA Director Bill Burns, who welcome Haspel to the role and said that Smith has provided “…remarkable service to the CIA community for more than twenty years. In the past four years as Chair, he, and the Foundation, have continued to provide the level of support the families of CIA officers deserve."
Since its creation, the foundation has funded over $11 million in scholarships to help more than 200 students pay education costs.
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