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The Cipher Brief's National Security Network

Our expanding network of national security experts and contributors includes top thinkers from the intelligence, military, academic and business sectors. Their collective contributions to the security conversation will lead to tomorrow’s solutions.

 General Michael Hayden

General Michael Hayden

Former Director, CIA and NSA

 Gen. Jack Keane (Ret.)

Gen. Jack Keane (Ret.)

Former Vice Chief of Staff, United States Army

 General David Petraeus (Ret.)

General David Petraeus (Ret.)

Former Director of the CIA

 Michael Vickers

Michael Vickers

Former Under Secretary of Defense for Intelligence

 Admiral James Stavridis (Ret.)

Admiral James Stavridis (Ret.)

Former Supreme Allied Commander, NATO

 Lt. Gen. James R. Clapper (Ret.)

Lt. Gen. James R. Clapper (Ret.)

Former U.S. Director of National Intelligence

 General Frank McKenzie (Ret.)

General Frank McKenzie (Ret.)

Former Commander, United States Central Command

 Sir Alex Younger, Former Chief of Britain's Secret Intelligence        Service, MI6

Sir Alex Younger, Former Chief of Britain's Secret Intelligence Service, MI6

Former Chief of British Secret Intelligence (MI6)

 Michael Chertoff

Michael Chertoff

Former United States Secretary of Homeland Security

 General Philip M. Breedlove

General Philip M. Breedlove

Former Supreme Allied Commander, NATO


 Sir John Sawers

Sir John Sawers

Former Chief of the British Secret Intelligence Service (MI6)

 General Keith Alexander

General Keith Alexander

Former Director, National Security Agency

 General John R. Allen

General John R. Allen

Former Commander of the NATO International Security Assistance Force in Afghanistan

 Patrick Calvar

Patrick Calvar

Former Director General of the French Security Service, the General Directorate for Internal Security (DGSI)

 Nick Warner

Nick Warner

Former Director-General of the Office of National Intelligence (ONI) Australia

 General Stanley McChrystal

General Stanley McChrystal

Former Commander, ISAF

 Toomas Hendrik Ilves

Toomas Hendrik Ilves

Former President of Estonia

 John McLaughlin

John McLaughlin

Former Acting Director, Central Intelligence Agency

 General Charles “Chuck” Wald, USAF (Ret.)

General Charles “Chuck” Wald, USAF (Ret.)

Former Deputy Commander of United States European Command (EUCOM)

 Tom Bossert

Tom Bossert

Former Homeland Security Advisor to the President

 Tom Ridge

Tom Ridge

Former Secretary of Homeland Security

 Kenneth Wainstein

Kenneth Wainstein

FORMER Cipher Brief Expert currently serving as Undersecretary for Intelligence and Analysis at DHS

 Richard Fadden

Richard Fadden

Former National Security Advisor to the Prime Minister of Canada

 Charlie Allen

Charlie Allen

Former Under Secretary for Intelligence and Analysis, U.S. Department of Homeland Security

 Admiral Eric T. Olson

Admiral Eric T. Olson

Former Commander, U.S. Special Operations Command

 James N. Miller

James N. Miller

Former Under Secretary of Defense for Policy

 Robert Work

Robert Work

Former Deputy Secretary of Defense

 Robert Cardillo

Robert Cardillo

Former Director, National Geospatial-Intelligence Agency

 Martin Petersen

Martin Petersen

Former Acting Executive Director, CIA

 Michele Flournoy

Michele Flournoy

Former Under Secretary of Defense for Policy

 Admiral James 'Sandy' Winnefeld (Ret.)

Admiral James 'Sandy' Winnefeld (Ret.)

Former Vice Chairman, Joint Chiefs of Staff

 Saxby Chambliss

Saxby Chambliss

Former U.S. Senator (R-GA)

 Jane Harman

Jane Harman

President and CEO, Wilson Center

 Sir David Omand GCB

Sir David Omand GCB

Former Director of GCHQ (the UK Sigint Agency)

 Robert Hannigan

Robert Hannigan

Former Director, GCHQ

 Conrad Prince

Conrad Prince

Former Director General for Operations and Deputy Director of GCHQ

 Alan Kohler

Alan Kohler

Former Assistant Director of the Counterintelligence Division, FBI

 Christopher Costa

Christopher Costa

Former Special Assistant to the President and Senior Director for Counterterrorism on the National Security Council (NSC)

 George Barnes

George Barnes

Former NSA Deputy Director

 Chris Inglis

Chris Inglis

Former U.S. National Cyber Director

 David Fitzgerald

David Fitzgerald

Former CIA Chief of Station

 Liesl Jordan

Liesl Jordan

Former Senior Executive Service Officer (National Security), Australian Government

 Alex Creswell

Alex Creswell

Former Member British Foreign Service

 Deborah Lee James

Deborah Lee James

Former Secretary of the United States Air Force

 Jennifer Ewbank

Jennifer Ewbank

Former Deputy Director of the Central Intelligence Agency for Digital Innovation

 Bill Evanina, Former Director, National Counterintelligence and        Security Center

Bill Evanina, Former Director, National Counterintelligence and Security Center

Director, National Counterintelligence and Security Center

 John Carlin

John Carlin

Former Acting Deputy Attorney General

 Michael Leiter

Michael Leiter

Former Director, National Counterterrorism Center

 Peter Leahy

Peter Leahy

Former Chief of the Australian Army

 Nicholas J. Rasmussen

Nicholas J. Rasmussen

Former Director, National Counterterrorism Center

 Ellen McCarthy

Ellen McCarthy

Former Asst. Secretary of State, Bureau of Intelligence and Research

 Tim Willasey-Wilsey, Former Senior Member, British Foreign Office

Tim Willasey-Wilsey, Former Senior Member, British Foreign Office

Former Senior Member of the British Foreign Office

 Benjamin Powell

Benjamin Powell

Co-Chair, Cybersecurity, Privacy and Communications Practice, Wilmer Hale

 Lieutenant General Kevin McLaughlin

Lieutenant General Kevin McLaughlin

Former Deputy Director, U.S. Cyber Command

 Glenn Gerstell

Glenn Gerstell

Former General Counsel National Security Agency

 Katharina McFarland

Katharina McFarland

Former Assistant Secretary of Defense for Acquisition

 Mary Beth Long

Mary Beth Long

Former Assistant Secretary of Defense for International Security Affairs

 Neil Wiley

Neil Wiley

Former Principal Executive, ODNI

 John Edwards

John Edwards

Former Deputy Chief Operating Officer, CIA

 Dave Pitts

Dave Pitts

Former CIA Senior Executive

 Gilman Louie

Gilman Louie

CEO & Chairman, LookingGlass Cyber Solutions

 Rear Adm. (Ret.) Mark Montgomery

Rear Adm. (Ret.) Mark Montgomery

Senior Director at the Center on Cyber and Technology Innovation (CCTI) at the Foundation for Defense of Democracies

 Raj De

Raj De

Former General Counsel, National Security Agency

 Stewart Baker

Stewart Baker

Former General Counsel of the National Security Agency

 Matt Hayden, Former Assistant Secretary for Cyber, Infrastructure, Risk        and Resilience, Department of Homeland Security

Matt Hayden, Former Assistant Secretary for Cyber, Infrastructure, Risk and Resilience, Department of Homeland Security

Former Assistant Secretary of Homeland Security for Cyber, Infrastructure, Risk and Resilience Policy

 Samantha F. Ravich

Samantha F. Ravich

Chair of the Center on Cyber and Technology Innovation (CCTI) at the Foundation for Defense of Democracies

 Admiral Jonathan Greenert

Admiral Jonathan Greenert

Former Chief of Naval Operations, U.S. Navy

 Charlie Cleveland

Charlie Cleveland

Former Director of Operations and Military Deputy Director, National Geospatial Intelligence Agency

 Francis X. Taylor

Francis X. Taylor

Former Under Secretary for Intelligence and Analysis, DHS

 Ambassador Andy Weber, former Assistant Secretary of Defense for        Nuclear, Chemical and Biological Defense Programs

Ambassador Andy Weber, former Assistant Secretary of Defense for Nuclear, Chemical and Biological Defense Programs

Former Assistant Secretary of Defense for Nuclear, Chemical and Biological Defense Programs

 Lt. Gen. Ben Hodges (Ret.)

Lt. Gen. Ben Hodges (Ret.)

Former Commanding General of US Army Europe

 Ambassador Kurt Volker

Ambassador Kurt Volker

Former United States Ambassador to NATO

 Vice Adm. Kevin Donegan

Vice Adm. Kevin Donegan

Former Commander of US 5th Fleet, the 32 Nation Combined Maritime Forces, and Director of OPS at CENTCOM

 Vice Admiral Mike LeFever

Vice Admiral Mike LeFever

Former Director of Strategic Operational Planning, National Counterterrorism Center.

 Doug Wise

Doug Wise

Former Deputy Director, Defense Intelligence Agency

 David R. Shedd

David R. Shedd

Former Acting Director, Defense Intelligence Agency

 Nick Thompson

Nick Thompson

Former CIA Paramilitary Officer and Naval Special Warfare Operator

 Ambassador Joseph DeTrani

Ambassador Joseph DeTrani

Former Director of the National Counterproliferation Center

 Jonathan M. Winer

Jonathan M. Winer

Former US Special Envoy to Libya

 Scott Howell

Scott Howell

Former Commander, Joint Special Operations Command

 Lt. Gen. David A. Deptula (Ret.)

Lt. Gen. David A. Deptula (Ret.)

Dean of the Mitchell Institute for Aerospace Studies

 Ambassador Richard Boucher, Former Assistant Secretary of State for        South and Central Asia

Ambassador Richard Boucher, Former Assistant Secretary of State for South and Central Asia

Former Assistant Secretary of State for South and Central Asia

 Marcel Lettre

Marcel Lettre

Former Under Secretary of Defense for Intelligence

 Rolf Mowatt-Larssen

Rolf Mowatt-Larssen

Former Director of Intelligence and Counterintelligence, U.S. Department of Energy

 Douglas E. Lute

Douglas E. Lute

United States Ambassador to NATO

 Darrell Blocker

Darrell Blocker

Former Senior CIA Executive

 Michael Daniel, President & CEO, Cyber Threat Alliance

Michael Daniel, President & CEO, Cyber Threat Alliance

President & CEO, Cyber Threat Alliance

 Deborah Jones

Deborah Jones

Ambassador of the United States of America, Retired

 April Doss

April Doss

Associate General Counsel for Intelligence Law, NSA

 Jim Danoy

Jim Danoy

Former Defense Intelligence Executive

 Ambassador Gary Grappo

Ambassador Gary Grappo

Former U.S. Ambassador to Oman

 Cynthia Saddy

Cynthia Saddy

Former Senior Executive with the Central
 Intelligence Agency

 Husain Haqqani

Husain Haqqani

Former Ambassador of Pakistan to the United States

 Paula Doyle

Paula Doyle

Former Associate Deputy Director of Operations, CIA

 Bernard Hudson

Bernard Hudson

Former Chief of Counterterrorism, CIA

 Michael Sulick

Michael Sulick

Former Director, CIA National Clandestine Service

 David Marlowe, Former Deputy Director CIA, Operations

David Marlowe, Former Deputy Director CIA, Operations

Former Deputy Director, CIA, for Operations

 John Bennett

John Bennett

Former Director, CIA National Clandestine Service

 Jack Devine

Jack Devine

Former Acting Director, CIA National Clandestine Service

 RADM Mike Studeman (Ret.)

RADM Mike Studeman (Ret.)

Former Commander of the Office of Naval Intelligence

 Edward Bogan

Edward Bogan

Former Senior CIA Operations Officer

 Andy Dunn

Andy Dunn

Former Analyst & Agency Leader, CIA

 Dave Spirk

Dave Spirk

Former first-Chief Data Officer, Department of Defense

 Patrick Weninger

Patrick Weninger

Former CIA Senior Intelligence Officer

 Norman T. Roule

Norman T. Roule

Former National Intelligence Manager for Iran, ODNI

 Dana Dyson

Dana Dyson

Former Deputy General Counsel of CIA for Operations

 Geoffrey Corn

Geoffrey Corn

George R. Killam, Jr., Chair of Criminal Law and Director of the Center for Military Law and Policy at Texas Tech University School of Law

 Andrew Boyd

Andrew Boyd

Former Senior Intelligence Service Officer, Directorate of Operations, CIA

 Jill Sanborn

Jill Sanborn

Former FBI Executive Assistant Director for National Security

 John Nixon

John Nixon

Former Senior Leadership Analyst, CIA

 Chip Usher

Chip Usher

Senior Director for Intelligence at the Special Competitiveness Studies Project

 John Lauder

John Lauder

Former Deputy Director of National Support, National Reconnaissance Office

 Lt. Gen. Michael Groen (US Marine Corps, Ret.)

Lt. Gen. Michael Groen (US Marine Corps, Ret.)

Former Director, Joint Artificial Intelligence Center, DoD

 Scott Wright

Scott Wright

Former Senior Executive, CIA

 Ralph Goff

Ralph Goff

Former Senior Intelligence Executive, CIA

 Carol Rollie Flynn

Carol Rollie Flynn

Former Associate Deputy Director, National Counterterrorism Center

 Kevin Keaton

Kevin Keaton

Former Chief of Innovation, National Security Agency (NSA)

 Rob Dannenberg

Rob Dannenberg

Former Head of Security, Goldman Sachs

 Ted Singer, Former Senior Intelligence Service Officer, CIA

Ted Singer, Former Senior Intelligence Service Officer, CIA

Former CIA Senior Intelligence Service

 Michael Nagata

Michael Nagata

Former Commander of US Special Operations Command-Central

 Mark Davidson, Former Senior Intelligence Officer, CIA

Mark Davidson, Former Senior Intelligence Officer, CIA

Former Senior Intelligence Officer, CIA

 Jon Darby, Former Director of Operations, National Security

Jon Darby, Former Director of Operations, National Security Agency/CSS

Former Director of the Operations Directorate, NSA/CSS

 Linda Weissgold

Linda Weissgold

Former Deputy Director for Analysis, CIA

 Gwyn Armfield

Gwyn Armfield

Brigadier General, USAF, Retired

 Nick Fishwick

Nick Fishwick

Former Senior Member of the British Foreign Office

 Beth Sanner

Beth Sanner

Former Deputy Director for National Intelligence, ODNI

 Robert J. Eatinger, Jr.

Robert J. Eatinger, Jr.

Former Senior Deputy General Counsel, CIA

 Brigadier General Mark Kimmitt, US Army (Ret.)

Brigadier General Mark Kimmitt, US Army (Ret.)

Former Assistant Secretary of State for Political-Military Affairs

 Karen Schaefer

Karen Schaefer

Former Chief of Operations, Directorate of Science and Technology, CIA

 Levi West

Levi West

Dr. Levi West is the Director of Terrorism Studies at the Australian Graduate School of Policing and Security at Charles Sturt University.

 Gary Corn

Gary Corn

Director of the Technology, Law & Security Program- American University

 Col. (Ret) Candice Frost

Col. (Ret) Candice Frost

Former Commander, Joint Intelligence Operations Center, U.S. Cyber Command

 Mark Kelton

Mark Kelton

Former Senior Executive Service Officer, CIA

 Glenn Corn

Glenn Corn

Former Senior CIA Operations Officer, Member of Senior Executive Service and Adjunct Professor of Russian/Soviet Studies

 Sean Corbett

Sean Corbett

Former Air Vice Marshall, UK Royal Air Force

 Mark Cooter

Mark Cooter

Former Colonel, U.S. Air Force

 Alec Bierbauer

Alec Bierbauer

Former CIA Officer, Directorate of Operations

 John Pereira

John Pereira

Former CIA Director for Support

 Robert Richer

Robert Richer

Former Associate Deputy Director for Operations, CIA

 James Jeffrey

James Jeffrey

Former U.S. Ambassador to Iraq and Turkey

 Leslie Ireland

Leslie Ireland

Former Assistant Secretary of the Treasury for Intelligence and Analysis

 Stephanie Douglas

Stephanie Douglas

Former Executive Assistant Director (EAD), National Security Branch, FBI

 Alison P. Bouwmeester

Alison P. Bouwmeester

Former Senior Leader, Directorate of Operations, CIA

 Farah Pandith

Farah Pandith

Former Special Representative to Muslim Communities, U.S. Department of State

 Sean Roche

Sean Roche

Former Associate Deputy Director of CIA for Science & Technology, Digital Innovation

 Carmen Medina

Carmen Medina

Former CIA Deputy Director of Intelligence

 Sonya Seunghye Lim

Sonya Seunghye Lim

Former Chief of Station, CIA

 Stephanie Bellistri, Former Deputy Chief of Operations, CIA

Stephanie Bellistri, Former Deputy Chief of Operations, CIA

Former Senior CIA Officer, Directorate of Operations, CIA

 Carmen Landa Middleton

Carmen Landa Middleton

Former Deputy Executive Director, CIA

 Kate Charlet

Kate Charlet

Former Deputy Assistant Secretary of Defense for Cyber Policy, Department of Defense

 Mary Margaret Graham

Mary Margaret Graham

Former U.S. Deputy Director of National Intelligence for Collection

 Kenneth Pollack

Kenneth Pollack

Resident Scholar, American Enterprise Institute (AEI)

 Joseph W. Augustyn

Joseph W. Augustyn

Former Member, CIA's Senior Intelligence Service

 Laura Thomas

Laura Thomas

Former Case Officer- CIA

 John Sipher

John Sipher

Former Member, CIA's Senior Intelligence Service

 IN MEMORIAM -- Brett Davis

IN MEMORIAM -- Brett Davis

Partner, New North Ventures

 Paul Kolbe

Paul Kolbe

Former Director, The Intelligence Project at Harvard University’s Belfer Center

 Alasdair Gordon

Alasdair Gordon

Former Senior National Security Officer, Australian Government

 David Bridges

David Bridges

Senior Geopolitical and Security Advisor at Fidelity Management and Research Company

 John D. Tullius

John D. Tullius

Former National Intelligence Chair at the Naval Postgraduate School

 Fran Moore

Fran Moore

Former Director of Intelligence, Central Intelligence Agency

 Joanne Isham

Joanne Isham

Former Deputy Director National Geospatial Intelligence Agency (NGA)

 Kristin Wood

Kristin Wood

Former Chief of Innovation and Technology at the CIA Open Source Center

 Steven L. Hall

Steven L. Hall

Former Member, CIA's Senior Intelligence Service

 Bill Harlow

Bill Harlow

Senior Editor, Under/Cover, The Cipher Brief

 Rhea Siers

Rhea Siers

Former Deputy Associate Director for Policy, National Security Agency

 Marc Polymeropoulos

Marc Polymeropoulos

Former CIA Senior Intelligence Service (SIS) Officer

 Bruce Hoffman

Bruce Hoffman

Professor, Georgetown University

 Kevin Hulbert

Kevin Hulbert

Former CIA Chief of Station

 Karyn Eliot

Karyn Eliot

Former Senior Executive CIA

 Todd Rosenblum

Todd Rosenblum

Former Acting Assistant Secretary of Defense for Homeland Defense and Americas' Security Affairs

 Rob Lively

Rob Lively

Command Sergeants Major (Ret) U.S. Army Special Operations

 Steven Ward

Steven Ward

Former Senior Analyst, CIA

 Michael Vigil

Michael Vigil

Former Chief of International Operations, DEA

 Robert Grenier

Robert Grenier

Former Director, CIA Counterterrorism Center

 Daniel Markey

Daniel Markey

Senior Research Professor and Academic Director of the Global Policy Program at the Johns Hopkins School of Advanced International Studies

 James Lewis

James Lewis

Senior Vice President and Program Director, CSIS

 Daniel Hoffman

Daniel Hoffman

Former Senior CIA Officer

 Alex Bolling

Alex Bolling

Former CIA Chief of Station

 Emile Nakhleh

Emile Nakhleh

Former Member, CIA's Senior Intelligence Service

 Michael Allen

Michael Allen

Former Majority Staff Director, House Permanent Select Committee on Intelligence

 Nate Jones

Nate Jones

Former Director for Counterterrorism, National Security Council

 Bradley Fernandez

Bradley Fernandez

Former Member, CIA's National Clandestine Service

 Chris Fussell

Chris Fussell

Former U.S. Navy SEAL

 Michael Fisher

Michael Fisher

Former Chief, U.S. Border Patrol

 Kevin Buckley

Kevin Buckley

Former Member CIA's Senior Intelligence Service

 Rodney Faraon

Rodney Faraon

Partner & Chief Creative Officer, Martin+Crumpton Group

 Jeanine Hayden

Jeanine Hayden

Member of the Board of Governors, National Military Family Association

 Mitch Silber

Mitch Silber

Former Director of Analysis, NYPD

 William Green

William Green

Former CIA Directorate of Operations

 Bill Cromwell

William P. Cromwell

Partner, Alsop Louie Partners

 Dr. Jerry Laurienti

Dr. Jerry Laurienti

Former Senior Intelligence Service Officer

 Renee Pruneau Novakoff

Renee Pruneau Novakoff

Former Deputy Director of Intelligence for Sensitive Activities and Special Programs, Office of the Secretary of Defense