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Mastering the Art of Illusion and Disguise

How far-fetched are James Bond’s gadgets or shows like Mission Impossible, where under-cover agents switch into different disguises? Not as far-fetched as you think. The CIA’s Office of Technical Service (OTS) is in charge of creating all those gadgets and disguises. Jonna Mendez, who spent 27 years at the CIA, eventually became the Chief of Disguise at the OTS.

She spoke to The Cipher Brief's Executive Producer Leone Lakhani about how she rose up the Agency’s ranks from a secretarial job, and how she learned from Hollywood makeup artists and magicians, to master the art of illusion and disguise.

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