Podcasts about national security alliance

The Intelligence and National Security Alliance has a slate of recommendations for the incoming Trump administration. They touch on how the IC could make progress on hiring, personnel vetting (security clearances), AI skills and open source intelligence, among other areas. Inside the IC spoke with John Doyon, INSA's executive vice president, to dig into the suggestions ahead of the Jan. 20 transition of power. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoicesSee Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

The Intelligence and National Security Alliance has a slate of recommendations for the incoming Trump administration. They touch on how the IC could make progress on hiring, personnel vetting (security clearances), AI skills and open source intelligence, among other areas. Inside the IC spoke with John Doyon, INSA's executive vice president, to dig into the suggestions ahead of the Jan. 20 transition of power. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

On Monday, September 17, the INSA Foundation in partnership with ClearanceJobs and GDIT, hosted the second installment of the "Future of the IC Workforce: Technology and Talent Transformation" series. Speakers included Kimberly King, Career Service Manager for Analysis, DIA, The Hon. John Sherman, Dean, The Bush School of Government and Public Service, Texas A&M University, and moderator Lindy Kyzer, Director of Content and PR, ClearnaceJobs. The program opened with speakers discussing the unique values that national security careers offer. Ms. King stated that there is merit in safeguarding the nation by being a part of something bigger than yourself. Joining the workforce there is an opportunity for “combination of mission and chance to drive your own career,” said Ms. King. Dean Sherman reflected on his career pivots and being at the forefront of technological advancement over the years. He noted that “being a trailblazer” in a discipline is distinctive from other career paths.The conversation shifted to the private sector's competitive strategy to retain and attract new talent. Ms. King highlighted DIA is building their talent pipeline through IC Centers for Academic Excellence. This initiative leverages DIA's connection with students across the country to onboard internships. The pay gap between the private sector and government presents a complex challenge for recruiting stem talent. Ms. King revealed the agency's new pay model is a proactive recruiting strategy that is attracting stem students to the DIA. Mr. Sherman responded, that students at the Bush School of Government and Public Service Texas A&M are attracted to the national security mission. To transform mission-focused students to employees; the Bush School of Government and Public Service hosts professors of the practice that extend “tangible real-world example” of careers in the workforce.Upskilling and training are focus areas of the DIA to ensure that employees are digitally- literature on emerging technologies. Kim noted that across-agency there are formal and informal training for employees. Continuing learning opportunities at DIA consist of technical training at universities, senior service schools, and speaker visits. Mr. Sherman urged that academia prepare the future workforce by enforcing effective and concise communication amongst students. “Getting them in a mindset that they're writing decision-makers,” said Mr. Sherman. The ability to write clearly and brief a policy is a critical skill the workforce values.The speakers agreed that to reach the future workforce there is a need for a flexible workspace. Improving retention and attraction strategies relies on the workforce to effectively track talent. Insufficient communication with applicants is resulting in the workforce losing skilled candidates during the process. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

This week, Intelligence and National Security Alliance invites Cadie Hopkins to record a live Iron Butterfly Podcast episode at 'The New IC' Conference with Eman Blair. Eman describes her journey from being a ‘triple minority' in the Middle East — a refugee, a Palestinian, and a woman — to being the Chief Digital Officer at Central Intelligence Agency. Eman's story is special, and a true testament to the resilience, service, and hope held within the journeys of intelligence community women. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

This weekend the intelligence community is celebrating one of its highlight events of the year, the Intelligence and National Security Alliance's William Oliver Baker Dinner. The event is a great engagement between current and former intelligence and national security community, and each year INSA recognizes the remarkable contributions of some of our nations incredible leaders. This year's William Oliver Baker award is being awarded to retired Gen. Paul Nakasone. Nakasone recently retired as head of U.S cyber command and the National Security Agency, after decades of service in the U.S. Army. Gen. Nakasone joins the program to talk about the recognition and the path he sees forward in cyber. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

The top U.S. spy office has tapped a research official to spearhead the intelligence community's work on AI. John Beieler, who serves as Director of National Intelligence Avril Haines' top science and technology advisor, has been named chief artificial intelligence officer at the Office of the Director of National Intelligence. Beieler confirmed his additional role during a speech today at an event hosted by the Intelligence and National Security Alliance in Arlington, Va. Beieler now leads a council of chief AI officers from the 18 elements of the intelligence community, including the CIA, the National Security Agency and the Defense Intelligence Agency. He said the council, which reports directly to Haines, has been meeting every two weeks for the last two months. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

The top U.S. spy office has tapped a research official to spearhead the intelligence community's work on AI.John Beieler, who serves as Director of National Intelligence Avril Haines' top science and technology advisor, has been named chief artificial intelligence officer at the Office of the Director of National Intelligence. Beieler confirmed his additional role during a speech today at an event hosted by the Intelligence and National Security Alliance in Arlington, Va.Beieler now leads a council of chief AI officers from the 18 elements of the intelligence community, including the CIA, the National Security Agency and the Defense Intelligence Agency. He said the council, which reports directly to Haines, has been meeting every two weeks for the last two months. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoicesSee Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

As part of NSI's ongoing series, “A Spotlight on China's Global Repression,” we are excited to host a discussion examining how China uses digital tools, such as social media platforms like WeChat and TikTok and its social credit system, to further the Chinese Communist Party's repressive goals. Experts will outline the dangers these tactics pose inside and outside China and how the U.S. can counter these global threats.Participants:Geoffrey Cain, NSI Fellow, Senior Fellow, Lincoln NetworkLindsay Gorman, Senior Fellow, Emerging Technologies, Alliance for Securing Democracy, German Marshall FundYaqiu Wang, Senior China Researcher, Human Rights WatchSuzanne Wilson Heckenberg, NSI Advisory Board member, President of the Intelligence and National Security Alliance (moderator) Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Having ADD or ADHD is a gift, not a curse. Hear from people all around the globe, from every walk of life, in every profession, from Rock Stars to CEOs, from Teachers to Politicians, who have learned how to unlock the gifts of their ADD and ADHD diagnosis, and use it to their personal and professional advantage, to build businesses, become millionaires, or simply better their lives. Over the past month, we have been fortunate enough to be sponsored by Skylight Frame. [Check it out at: https://www.skylightframe.com]  And guys, if you need a calendar for your family, for your kids, if your kids are neurodiverse- look at skylightframe.com! You order it, you hang it on your wall. It connects to your WIFI. You import your calendars, you add chore lists. My daughter knows all her chores. She knows everything she has to do. There's no more fights, no more arguments. She looks at the chores. She does them. She clicks the little button, the little touch screen, and it means that she's done and she gets her Roblox cuz that pretty much is what kids exist on today under the age of 12. They exist on, on Robux and, and apparently high quality mac and cheese. Apparently, you know, regular mac and cheese that we ate as kids. No, that's not good enough anymore. Skyline Frame is awesome. Use code PeterShankman at checkout. That will give you up to $30 off. I love the thing. You can also throw up all your photos on it. Uh, so when you're not using the calendar, it just. Scrolls your entire life by you and it looks pretty cool. It's in our kitchen. When I wake up at two in the morning to go get some cold water, I see a photo of me and my daughter or my dog, or my late cat, NASA, and it's pretty awesome. Makes my night. So https://www.skylightframe.com code: PeterShankman up to 30 bucks off. You will not regret this. If you get it, send me a note, let me know that you have it, and uh, I'll send you a photo for it. All right, again thank you to Skylight Frame! Enter discount code:  PeterShankman for 10% off, up to $30 off https://www.skylightframe.com Cortney Weinbaum (she/her) is the lead author of a new RAND Corporation report on Neurodiversity and National Security (link). She is a senior management scientist and senior national security researcher at RAND, a nonprofit, nonpartisan think-tank in Washington, DC. She specializes in intelligence and space topics, and she has worked with the Intelligence Community (IC) and Department of Defense to improve policies, practices, and technologies. She has improved analytic and collection tradecraft; identified emerging technologies and their impact on space architectures, special operations, countering weapons of mass destruction, and intelligence; and examined new workforce models for intelligence agencies. The study:  https://www.rand.org/pubs/research_reports/RRA1875-1.html I am beyond excited that this study and research are basically backing up IN WRITING so many of the things we've been saying for almost THREE HUNDRED EPISODES!! We're definitely asking Cortney Weinbaum back!  Enjoy and listen up! 00:40 - Thank you so much for listening and for subscribing! Thank you Skylight Frame - Get your coupon now!  https://www.skylightframe.com Discount Code: PeterShankman for 10% off, up to $30 off 01:45 - Introducing and welcome Cortney Weinbaum!! Ref:  What is RAND anyway & why does it matter? 03:30 - I want to talk to you about the recommendations you and your team have made on this incredible research report. But first of all, what prompted this? 04:40-  I love that Rand was so open and wanted you to do this, and you got no pushback or feedback or anything like that? 05:00 -  Explaining to companies & governments how interviewing neurodivergent job candidates is a benefit to all, even your talent pool!  06:00 - Combatting prejudice, discrimination, and bias with the Neurodiverse Ed:  [this part right here] 07:48 - “You're the first person I've ever met like me who's successful” 08:40 -  “Two female civilian intelligence officers both came up to me.. from different agencies, and they said they both identify as autistic in their own workplace…We both face bias and discrimination for this. Ironically, they never met each other until that day” 09:54 - Within the US government, neurodivergent diagnosis are treated as a Disability. 11:54 - The Catch 22 paradox. 15:30 - The US national security community isn't taking a position yet they're not saying we're neurodiverse friendly or we're not. They're more, maybe neurodiverse ignorant at this point. And that ignorance is changing for sure.. one organization, one office at a time.. 17:51 - I want to touch on a few more recommendations 18:42 - This is why we say don't treat it, (or ADHD), as disability.. 20:16 -  How do our spectacular subscribers find out more about you?  So, yeah, if people want to post or write to me, I say that anyone who doesn't sound like a troll, I will respond to. Web:  https://www.rand.org/about/people/w/weinbaum_cortney.html Socials: @cortney_dc on Twitter. @cortneywdc on Instagram,  LinkedIn,  Mastodon it says. “I'm on everything except Facebook”  20:30 - Thank you so much for making time for all of us today Cortney! 21:00 - Hey, you there! Yes YOU! We are thrilled that you are here & listening!  ADHD and all forms of Neurodiversity are gifts, not curses. And by the way, if you haven't picked up The Boy with the Faster Brain yet, it is on Amazon and it is a number one bestseller in all categories. Click HERE or via https://amzn.to/3FcAKkI My link tree is here if you're looking for something specific. https://linktr.ee/petershankman 16:40 - Faster Than Normal Podcast info & credits. Guys, as always thanks so much for subscribing! Faster Than Normal is for YOU! We want to know what you'd like to hear! Do you have a cool friend with a great story? We'd love to learn about, and from them. I'm www.petershankman.com and you can reach out anytime via email at peter@shankman.com or @petershankman on all of the socials. You can also find us at @FasterNormal on all of the socials. It really helps when you drop us a review on iTunes and of course, subscribe to the podcast if you haven't already! As you know, the more reviews we get, the more people we can reach. Help us to show the world that ADHD is a gift, not a curse!  — TRANSCRIPT via Castmagic.io and then corrected.. somewhat, (first trial run is today May 17, 2023):   As always, thank you Skylight for sponsoring this episode as well as many others of the Faster Than Normal Podcast. https://www.skylightframe.com Discount Code:  PeterShankman for 10% off, up to $30 off. Peter Shankman [00:00:40]: Hey, everyone. Peter Shankman. Welcome to the Faster Than Normal Podcast episode number “Happy You're Here!” We're happy you're here as always! It's a gorgeous Monday. We are recording on Monday. I try to do all my podcasts in one day a week, and I do all my zooms the same day. And basically, I just know that there's going to be one day where I'm be super productive and not that productive, and you get everything done, and then that way you can spend the rest of the week doing everything. That's been my ADHD sort of lifestyle going on, like, ten years now. It really does work. Anyway, big shout out to Skylight Frame. You guys have heard me talk about them before. Skylight Frame is this awesome little frame that hangs in my kitchen right over there. And it shows my calendar, and it shows my daughter her chores and her calendar and what she has to do for school and what she has to bring everything in one place. It's touchscreen. It's Skylightframe.com. Peter Shankman. The code Peter Shankman will get you $30 off. I love it. I can upload pictures of anything. My parents can send pictures to the frame. So if they instead of that's their new way of guilting me for not bringing the kid over. They only live three blocks from me. So their new way of guilting me for not bringing the kid over is to send me photos of themselves that show up my Sky Frame, where they're holding little signs and say, forget about us. Remember us. We miss our granddaughter, things like that. It's lovely. Lovely Jewish guilt via digital. Anyway, skylightframe.com use code peter Shankman and we thank them for sponsoring this episode of Faster than Normal. And guys, I am so stoked today because we have a wonderful woman who I just met named Cortney Weinbaum on the podcast today. Get this. She is the lead author of a new Rand Corporation report on neurodiversity and national security. Okay, that is huge. And you know what the key finding is? Neurodiversity, like other forms of diversity, can strengthen a national security organization. I feel like Vindicated, like, for the first time, this stuff that I've been shouting from the rooftops about companies and neurodiversity in the workplace and neurodiverse. Cortney, sitting here right now from Bethesda, Maryland, and has verified everything that I've been screaming for ten years. I'm, like, the happiest person. A Cortney, Welcome to festival. Ed: [that's so funny- Castmagic.io thinks this is a festival.. well.. kind of it IS a festival, really.. but anyway, back to your transcript here- that has been corrected at least to this point by a human]. I'm so glad you're here. Thank you so much for taking the time. Cortney  [00:02:43]: Oh, thank you for having me, and I love your enthusiasm! Peter Shankman [00:02:46]:  Oh, my God. This came across my I don't remember who said this to me, but someone said to me that, you're going to love this. They're like, oh, my God, I am, like, so stoked about this. And we're going to talk about how you decided to do this study, but listen to this, guys. Neurodiversity, like other forms of diversity, can strengthen a national security organization within the US. Government. Neurodivergent diagnosis are treated as a disability and requiring employees to identify as disabled benefits those with severe needs, while stigmatizing employees who have spent decades overcoming the challenges of workplaces designed for neurotypical workers. Several aspects of the recruiting and hiring process can pose barriers to a neurodiverse workforce. And then, once on board, neurodiversion employees can face challenges, navigating careers and workplaces that were not designed for them in mind. So I want to talk to you about the recommendations you and your team have made on this incredible research report. But first of all, what prompted this? Cortney  [00:03:38]:Wow. I want to unpack all of that in this episode with you. So what prompted this? A dear friend of mine who's the president of the Intelligence and National Security Alliance got together with one of her summer interns to write an op ed two years ago now on neurodiversity and intelligence. And my background is from the intelligence community. I joined the intelligence community very soon after 911, and that's how I entered National Security. And so when she and her intern called to interview me, it was like I got hit with a ton of bricks. Why hasn't anyone written about this before? And so I said, Send me that op ed as soon as it's done. And they did, and I took it inside Rand. For those listeners who aren't familiar with Rand, we're a nonprofit, nonpartisan, federally funded research center. I'm in our Washington, DC. Office, and I took that op ed inside Rand, and I said, we need to research this. There needs to be data about this topic. And I got an immediate gap. There was no hesitation at all. And so we got some project funding, and we did this study that you're looking at now. Peter Shankman [00:04:40]: That is amazing. I love that Rand was so open and wanted you to do this, and you got no pushback or feedback or anything like that? Cortney  [00:04:47]: None. Peter Shankman [00:04:48]: And we're starting to see that now. I mean, the companies that I'm dealing with and I'm working with, adobe and Morgan Stanley and Google, they're understanding not only that neurodiversity is real, not only that neurodiversity is something that needs to be addressed, but that it can benefit companies tremendously. And that's the story screaming from the rooftop. So let's talk about the key findings. First, in terms of neurodiversity, like other forms of diversity, can strengthen a national security organization. So that the hardest part there is explaining to companies that that can be a thing, right? As opposed to companies look at it. Okay, something else we have to deal with. No, this can benefit. Cortney  [00:05:22]: Absolutely. One of the questions that we were asked at the beginning of the study and then again at the end of the study were, but which jobs? Just tell me which jobs I should be opening to the neurodivergent candidates. And I'll flag those jobs as the one. And I'm laughing for those who can't see my face. And what we found out, what all of your listeners probably already know, is the answer is all of the jobs. And the way we make that point is I tell people this story, which is that when we started doing this research project, our goal was to talk to program managers, hiring managers. We were not trying to ask people to self identify as having a diagnosis and tell us about their experience. We didn't want to put at risk a population that's already at risk for prejudice, discrimination, and bias. So we weren't asking anyone about a diagnosis. But people started calling me. My phone started ringing by people who would say, I heard you're doing this study. I'm an intelligence officer, or I'm a military officer, and you need to interview me. I'm autistic. And I've never told the military that before. I got diagnosed outside the military health system so that there was no military record of my diagnosis. We heard all these personal stories so very early on. It was very clear that people with all of the Diagnoses we talk about in this report already are serving in the military, are serving as civilians in the entire national security enterprise, and that they're usually doing in a way that is masking, that is hiding whatever is their neurodivergent trait in order to fit in in their office so that they're not known. They describe themselves as living in the closet, like the LBGT community used to in the military. And that masking is exhausting, and it leads to burnout, and it prevents them from really leveraging the talents and the benefits of their conditions, but it also leads to burnout, exhaustion. It's psychologically draining all of the things. And so it creates this environment where the neurotypical employees and managers think, well, there's no one neurodivergent here. And it prevents us having role models that we can see with these diagnoses so that we can realize that, yeah, we actually should be making on ramps and making entry easier because our colleagues, who we really value, already have these diagnoses. So by having that community hide, it's a disservice to everyone. And so that's one of the first findings we had in this report, that. Peter Shankman [00:07:48]: Last point about the fact that we're not being more public about it. I gave a talk last week to a bunch of hundred fifth graders in school in New Jersey, because my latest book is for kids called The Boy with the Faster Brain. And it's hard. I tear up every time I think about this. Fifth grader came to me at the end of the class, and his head was at the end of the talk. And as everyone else was leaving, his head was down. He didn't really mumbling. I'm like what? And he's like, it you're the first person I've ever met like me who's successful, and my heart, oh, my God, my heart. Cortney  [00:08:27]: Oh, my gosh. Peter Shankman [00:08:28]: Right? And it's like, we need why we. Cortney  [00:08:30]: Do what we do. Peter Shankman [00:08:31]: Oh, my God. We need to be telling these stories. We need to be telling these stories. And I'm so glad that you are. Cortney  [00:08:40]: I have to give you one more example. We were at a conference. I mean, it was a small event, not massive, but it was a small event for neurodivergent service providers in the national security sector. So there are some please don't think there are none. And two female intelligence officers came up to me after I explained, I stood up, I said, I'm doing this project. If anyone wants to talk to me afterwards, come find me. And two female civilian intelligence officers both came up to me. They're from different agencies, and they said they both identify as autistic in their own workplaces. They're out of the closet, quote, unquote, in their workplaces as autistic. And they said, we need more of this. We need other people to be able to be out just like us. There's no one else that either of us could ever look up to. We both face bias and discrimination for this. Ironically, they never met each other until that day. They knew each other existed. I think they talked to emails, but this event was the first time they'd been in the same room, and it was really powerful. There are people who are trying to be role models, and they're doing it at cost. And we wanted to put this study out there to provide data and analysis and objective, unbiased data analysis on what is the benefits and what are those costs. Peter Shankman [00:09:54]: That's amazing. I'm so glad you did this. So let's look at this. Within the US government, neurodivergent diagnosis are treated as a disability. And so my first reaction is, no, it's not. But I understand why that would be, right. You're looking at a lot of these things are based on 50, 67 year old rules or the Ada from 82. So talk to me about what you learned from that standpoint. Cortney  [00:10:18]: Yeah, this was just eye opening, so I'm not a disability researcher. So a lot of this was new ground to me. If you want to get a job in the US government and you want to self identify as being disabled, any type of disability, you get what's called a schedule, a letter, from the Department of labor. Basically, you fill out a form, the department of labor gives you a letter called a Schedule A Letter. The schedule. A letter does not state your disability. It just says Mr. Smith has a severe disability and therefore qualifies for accommodation. That's all it says. It doesn't say what your disability is. You can be blind, you can be an amputee. Well, because of that process, no matter what your disability is, you're just identified as disabled and severely disabled. When government agencies are calculating data, we ask them, how many people do you have for neurodivergent your agency? And they said, I don't know, I can only give you my disability number. So the blind employees, the deaf employees, the amputees, and the autistic employees are all lumped in one category. So that was one finding. The second finding is that Schedule A Letter says severely disabled. And all the people we talk to don't identify as severely disabled. And they take deep personal offense at the idea that they should have to describe themselves as severely disabled just to wear noise canceling headphones in a classified room. Peter Shankman [00:11:34]: Exactly. Cortney  [00:11:35]: Or just to ask that the light bulb be taken out from over their desk, or that their desk be moved from the bullpen further away from the door so they don't hear the door every time it opens. These are like basic requests of a manager, but the government treats them as accommodations and if you want an accommodation, you must have a declaration of disability. Peter Shankman [00:11:53]:Right? Cortney  [00:11:54]: So we provide a few metaphors in the report and we call this the accommodations dilemma because it was like this whole catch 22 paradox. Cause you either declare yourself as disabled and all of a sudden you get all these benefits along with the risk of bias and discrimination, right? You don't declare yourself as disabled, don't worry about the bias and discrimination, but now you've got to cut it. And we said if you compare this to other diagnoses, and I use vision in the report as the example, I'm sitting here wearing eyeglasses, I'm near sighted. I am not disabled by any standard. I drive a car I can see perfectly with my eyeglasses on if I want to apply for military service or for a civilian job. I'm not considered disabled simply because I'm near sighted. Now, there's a point at which a vision diagnosis does become a disability, but it's a spectrum, and we know it's a spectrum and we know that simply having a vision diagnosis is not a binary yes you're disabled, or no you're not. For the government, having a neurodiverse divergent diagnosis is a binary yes or no. Whereas we all know, those who are in this community or researchers in this community, that it is a spectrum. There are some people with ADHD, autism and other diagnoses who do self identify as severely disabled and there's plenty who don't. And the government right now doesn't give people the option. Peter Shankman [00:13:07]: What's interesting, I think another aspect of that is because it's government work, it's the premise that you can't just move your desk away from the door if you just want to. There has to be an accommodation for. Cortney  [00:13:20]: It because someone else in the office is going to say, well, that's unfair. Why did they get to their desk? I want to be near the window. Peter Shankman [00:13:26]: And I think that what companies are starting to realize is that those rules don't. I interviewed someone who was a boss once and I said, what are the neurodiversion aspects of how you're dealing? He goes, there are none. He goes, you get your work done. He goes, I do not care how you do it. You're not in junior high. You don't have to ask for a bad bathroom pass. Do whatever works for you as long as you're getting stuff done. And I think back to my first and only job I ever really had working for someone else was for America Online and under Steve Case back in the 90s in Virginia, right near you, Northern Virginia, they said the same thing. We don't care when you come in, right, work from a forest, just get your stuff done. And that was so amazing. And of course it screwed me because I thought, oh wow, this must be what the workforce is like. And my second job at a national magazine was, no, the hell it ain't. That was sort of a wake up call, but now there's no question about that. It is difficult if you have to constantly label yourself as only one thing or the other. I've never looked at this as a disability from my perspective. I understand I've had to write it down at some points for surveys or qualifications or things like that. But again, I don't qualify my ADHD as a disability. And the funny thing was, I remember growing up in school, in the New York City public schools, you could qualify for something called resource room, which would give you extra time on tests and allow you lots of different accommodations. To get there, though, you had to fall below a certain level in reading and in math. And because I loved reading, I was on a 12th grade level from first grade. Because I hated math, I qualified. But because I didn't qualify for both, I didn't get anything. So yes, there's a lot that needs to be addressed in that. Talk about for a second the concept of and I want to be constantly time, but we're definitely having you back, but the aspects of recruitment and hiring process, right? So there are companies now that I'm advising that are trying to create conversation, that they are more neurodiverse aware and that they are neurodiverse friendly. And is that not the case in government yet or how is that happening? Cortney  [00:15:29]: Well, for the most part, the US national security community isn't taking a position yet they're not saying we're neurodiverse friendly or we're not. They're more maybe neurodiverse ignorant at this point. And that ignorance is changing for sure. But one organization, one office at a time, we're hoping this report can blow that door open. So what we did is we actually went through real government job vacancy postings and said, how is this worded today? And how might one word it differently? And there's actually a point in the report. We take a table. We take three or four job descriptions. And we wanted to make sure that these aren't very stereotypical job descriptions. We had people come to us say, oh yeah, I could hire people who are neurodivergent and they could be the cyber analyst in the corner who never have to speak to anyone. And so we made sure that the job descriptions we chose were not just like that person you put in the back corner who doesn't actually interact with people. We chose an accountant. Yes, a cyber operations officer. We chose a contracts officer. Contracting is a huge part of the national security workforce, and we chose some of these job descriptions. And then based on what we had learned from the commercial sector, we said, here's how you might do it differently. Sometimes it's just changing the wording. Like, instead of saying, demonstrate that you're an effective communicator. I don't know how to do that in a cover letter very well. Instead, we write it in a way that for someone who has trouble with nuance, who has trouble with interpretive language, who doesn't know how to do that, we'd be able to figure out what exactly is that they need to see from me. We took one of the job descriptions that was asking for financial analysis skills as the accounting position. And we said instead of all these things that they're asking the applicant to prove in a resume, instead let's interview this person by giving them a practical exercise, which is what some companies do, we email them a spreadsheet three days before the interview. The spreadsheet is fake financial data. We say to them, in three days, you're going to present your analysis to the hiring manager or a board of three people. Well, by doing that now, this person isn't worried about making eye contact and making sure they know how to answer the question of what do you want to get out of your career? Instead, you're really assessing this person on their financial analytic skills and their ability to convey analytic findings to a customer. That's probably all you really cared about in the first place. You didn't really care if they could make eye contact and shape your hand with a firm handshake. So we provide those kinds of really specific, tangible recommendations. Peter Shankman [00:17:51]: I want to touch on a few of the more recommendations. We have a few minutes left. One of the ones that I saw immediately, and I love this, help all employees understand neurodiversity right and this goes back to what I've taught at some of the companies that I work with in the concept of curb cuts. I'm sure you know that is at the end of World War II, 600,000 US servicemen came home disabled. And every city and every town across the country put ramps at the at the corner of every block, make up the sidewalks, making curb cuts. And they wound up helping those 600,000 servicemen and also wound up helping pregnant women and people with boxes and children and people with strollers list goes on and on. So you help one group and it benefits all. So the concept of teaching, understanding university, go ahead. Yeah. Cortney  [00:18:42]: This is why we say don't treat it as disability. By putting ramps in buildings, you didn't just help the people who are disabled. Like you said, you help the Janet or push the card more effectively. So if you change your interview practices or your management practices in ways that provide clear communication to everyone, everyone will benefit from that. It's not just the few employees that have a diagnosis. And by the way, there's plenty of employees who are not diagnosed because they didn't have the availability to have a diagnosis. So it helps them, too. So, yeah, we wanted to make sure that the recommendations in here were really widely applicable. We heard from plenty of people we interviewed. It's one thing to give the neurodivergent employee the feedback that they need to be a better communicator, but did you also give the rest of the team the feedback that they need to be better communicators, too? And that's what we're talking about. Why is the whole burden on one person to be able to improve team wide communication? The burden shouldn't fall on one person's shoulders 100%. Peter Shankman [00:19:41]: Courtney, I want to have you back again. I really appreciate you taking the time. I'm going to tell Meagan immediately that I want to have you back. I could talk about this for 6 hours. Maybe we'll break our rules and do like a 45 minutes version if you're up for it. But thank you so much for taking the time. And this research is available. Anyone can download it. It's at RAND.org under publication for free. Cortney  [00:20:03]: It's for FREE!!!! Peter Shankman [00:20:04]: That's the coolest thing. It's like, Here, have it. I'll put a link to where it is in the show notes. But again, if people want to find you, I mean, you're pretty easy to find. Do you mind if people contact you? Do you have a social account or. Cortney  [00:20:16]: How can people yeah, I'm on Mastodon, I'm on Twitter. I'm on Instagram, LinkedIn. I'm on everything except Facebook. So, yeah, people want to post to me. I say that anyone who doesn't sound like a troll, I will respond to. Peter Shankman [00:20:30]: Awesome. Cortney Weinbaum, thank you so much for taking the time. Really. Cortney  [00:20:34]: Thanks for having me. Peter Shankman [00:20:35]: Phenomenal. Most definitely. We'll be live in a few weeks. Guys, thank you for listening. Really appreciate your time. I love that you are still listening to Faster Than Normal. We are closing in on 300 episodes. How amazing is that? I've never been able to do anything 300 times in a row, so I am super excited about that. And we will be back next week with another interview with someone probably not as cool as Cortney, but we're going to try. Thank you again, everyone for listening. Cortney, thank you one more time. We will talk to you guys soon. Have a great day. Stay safe. — Credits: You've been listening to the Faster Than Normal podcast. We're available on iTunes, Stitcher and Google play and of course at www.FasterThanNormal.com I'm your host, Peter Shankman and you can find me at shankman.com and @petershankman on all of the socials. If you like what you've heard, why not head over to your favorite podcast platform of choice and leave us a review, come more people who leave positive reviews, the more the podcast has shown, and the more people we can help understand that ADHD is a gift, not a curse. Opening and closing themes were composed and produced by Steven Byrom who also produces this podcast, and the opening introduction was recorded by Bernie Wagenblast. Thank you so much for listening. We'll see you next week! 

LTG (R) Vince Stewart sat down to discuss his life of service this February, as he prepared to accept the 2023 William Oliver Baker Award, an annual award given by the Intelligence and National Security Alliance. Stewart, who served as the Deputy Director of Cyber Command and the Director of the Defense Intelligence Agency, was a trailblazer, innovator, and amazing human being. In this interview, he discusses his life of service, current cyber threats, and what being honored with the Baker Award meant to him. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

This week, FEDtalk is discussing Neurodiversity and National Security. It is no secret that our nation needs to harness a wide variety of skills, talents, and abilities to meet growing national security concerns. On this episode, agencies will learn how they can harness the potential of unique cognitive talents to improve their workforce and mission delivery. FEDtalk host Natalia Castro sits down with Suzanne Wilson Heckenberg, President of the Intelligence and National Security Alliance, and the Intelligence and National Security Foundation; Teresa Thomas, Neurodiverse Talent Enablement and Cyber Engagement Program Lead at MITRE Corporation; and Cortney Weinbaum, Senior Management Scientist at RAND Corporation. The show is based around the 2023 RAND Corporation report “Why National Security Needs Neurodiversity: Drawing on a Wider Range of Cognitive Talents to Tackle National Security Challenges.” Read the full report here: https://www.rand.org/pubs/research_reports/RRA1875-1.html Check out a shorter research brief here: https://www.rand.org/pubs/research_briefs/RBA1875-1.html  FEDtalk is brought to you by Shaw Bransford & Roth P.C., a federal employment law firm. Bringing you the insider's perspective from leaders in the federal community since 1993.

This week, FEDtalk is discussing Neurodiversity and National Security. It is no secret that our nation needs to harness a wide variety of skills, talents, and abilities to meet growing national security concerns. On this episode, agencies will learn how they can harness the potential of unique cognitive talents to improve their workforce and mission delivery.FEDtalk host Natalia Castro sits down with Suzanne Wilson Heckenberg, President of the Intelligence and National Security Alliance, and the Intelligence and National Security Foundation; Teresa Thomas, Neurodiverse Talent Enablement and Cyber Engagement Program Lead at MITRE Corporation; and Cortney Weinbaum, Senior Management Scientist at RAND Corporation.The show is based around the 2023 RAND Corporation report “Why National Security Needs Neurodiversity:Drawing on a Wider Range of Cognitive Talents to Tackle National Security Challenges.” Read the full report here: https://www.rand.org/pubs/research_reports/RRA1875-1.htmlCheck out a shorter research brief here: https://www.rand.org/pubs/research_briefs/RBA1875-1.html FEDtalk is brought to you by Shaw Bransford & Roth P.C., a federal employment law firm. Bringing you the insider's perspective from leaders in the federal community since 1993. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoicesSee Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

Congress is out-of-town for the mid-term elections, but when they come back, the annual intelligence authorization bill could get passed. There are a number of key provisions in this year's bill, including one that would allow more industry employees top receive clearance. Another would conduct a study of how agencies and industry utilize classified facilities. To break it down, I spoke with Larry Hanauer, vice president for policy at the Intelligence and National Security Alliance.

Intelligence agencies are increasing telework options and other workplace flexibilities in some cases, as they look to better compete with the private sector for scarce talent. Director of National Intelligence Avril Haines said the intelligence community is looking at ways to make workplaces “more flexible and appealing.” During a keynote address at a July 14 summit hosted by the Intelligence and National Security Alliance, Haines cast those efforts as part of a broader push to overcome diversity, equity and inclusion challenges within the intelligence community.

This episode features part two of an interview with Larry Hanauer, vice president for policy at the Intelligence and National Security Alliance. Larry discusses INSA's ideas for how the intel community can improve how it recruits and clears people with foreign connections.

The security clearance process can make it difficult to move personnel from one agency to another. That's especially true for people who need the highest levels of clearance. Lie detector requirements and other issues can bog down an application for months. The Intelligence and National Security Alliance has some new suggestions for how to make it faster and easier. Federal News Network's Justin Doubleday, spoke with INSA vice president for policy, Larry Hanauer.

The security clearance process often poses a challenge for both government and industry when they want to move people around and bring new personnel onboard. That's especially true for the highest levels of clearance, where polygraph requirements and other inconsistent policies can bog things down for weeks and months. To break down the issue, I spoke with Larry Hanauer, the vice president for policy at the Intelligence and National Security Alliance, and Greg Torres, the director of personnel security at Booz Allen Hamilton, about INSA's new paper, "Improving Security Clearance Mobility: How to Save Time and Resources and Enhance Mission Outcomes."

For this episode we have leadership from the Intelligence and National Security Alliance's newest council for JUSTICE, EQUITY, DIVERSITY, AND INCLUSION: also known as the JEDI COUNCIL.Nicole Gibson is a Partner with Guidehouse in the National Security Segment and has over 20 years experience providing management-consulting service to the Federal Government providing clients with insight and guidance as they seek to transform their organizations, increase transparency, better serve their customers, and increase operational effectiveness.Larry Thomas is Chief Culture, Diversity, and Inclusion Officer at Penn State University's Applied Research Laboratory and for a long time, has served as a trusted advisor for a host of influential employers, executives, and board directors across industries and sectors. Thomas currently serves on the Council of the Brookings Institution and the Society of Fellows Engagement Committee of the Aspen Institute. See acast.com/privacy for privacy and opt-out information.

Intelligence and National Security Alliance's recommendation of Megan Jaffer speaks about leadership, strategic thinking, and learning something from every position you enter. She is the executive director for GeoData Cooperative and has a comprehensive background in working corporate, non-profit and in the government. She is one of the founding members of the Amazing Women of the Intelligence Community (AWIC) and most notably is the host of the "Iron Butterfly" podcast. In this episode she discusses meeting people and discovering new skills.  

Education can help people to be prepared without paranoia, but how do you teach safety without causing fear? There are specific things to be aware of in an extraordinary situation like an active shooter that can fundamentally change the outcome.  Today's guest is Dr. Kathleen Kiernan. Dr. Kiernan is the founder and CEO of Kiernan Group Holdings, Chair of Emeritus and the Intelligence and National Security Alliance, and an adjunct faculty member of the Center for Homeland Defense and Security at the Naval Postgraduate School. As a 29-year veteran of Federal Law Enforcement, Dr. Kiernan serves as a subject matter expert in strategic thinking, strategy development, and facilitating critical incident management exercises for senior leaders across government and private sector organizations. She is the founder of Preparedness Without Paranoia which provides an opportunity to use a lifetime of service and earned experience at the extremes of human behavior to help others invest in their own security and preparedness. When they teach skills early, they can last a lifetime and can literally save lives. Show Notes: [1:21] - Dr. Kiernan has spent her entire life in or supporting law enforcement. Her experience has given her understanding of human behavior. [3:04] - Dr. Kiernan recommends the book called The Safety Trap by Spencer Coursen and shares a story from it to illustrate how children are not prepared by their parents. [4:39] - There's not one single event that interested Dr. Kiernan about preparedness, but rather her multitude of experiences in law enforcement. [7:03] - Regarding an active shooter situation, there is a series of actions to take. [8:18] - Preparedness Without Paranoia educates children on these actions they can take in a way that is developmentally appropriate. [9:18] - Civics is not a class taught anymore. Preparedness Without Paranoia uses current and recent events to educate. [10:33] - The program is written by parents and educators for parents and educators of primary school aged children. [11:58] - Dr. Kiernan's program teaches a preparedness mindset that applies to many different types of events. [13:01] - You are responsible for your own security. [14:20] - Communication is the first major teaching point for children in Preparedness Without Paranoia. [15:41] - Although active shooters are statistically rare but devastating, there are more common events in domestic violence and abuse that children learn to communicate about. [17:19] - To build trust with kids is to be part of their adventure. What are they into? [19:32] - Dr. Kiernan and Chris discuss preparedness kits and checklists and getting kids involved. [22:10] - Have the discussions of why each item goes into the preparedness kit and introduce the idea of going to a shelter in times of natural disasters. [24:06] - Dr. Kiernan shares a realization she made that preparedness can be simple. [27:30] - One of the most common and vexing to teach about is human and sex trafficking. [28:54] - Using the example of an Olympic athlete who spoke up about sexual abuse as a child. Communication is key. [30:27] - Some of the educational resources on Preparedness Without Paranoia's website surround good decision making and thanking community heroes. [31:20] - Preparedness Without Paranoia runs on donations. All donations go directly to resource production. You can contribute HERE. [32:22] - In addition to donations, Preparedness Without Paranoia is in need of authors and illustrators. [33:18] - All resources are free and available on the website. Thanks for joining us on Easy Prey. Be sure to subscribe to our podcast on iTunes and leave a nice review.  Links and Resources: Podcast Web Page Facebook Page whatismyipaddress.com Easy Prey on Instagram Easy Prey on Twitter Easy Prey on LinkedIn Easy Prey on YouTube Easy Prey on Pinterest Preparedness Without Paranoia Home Page Kiernan Group Holdings Home Page Kiernan Group Holdings on Facebook Preparedness Without Paranoia on Instagram Kathleen Kiernan on LinkedIn

ClearanceJobs was joined by the Intelligence and National Security Alliance's (INSA) President, Suzanne Wilson Heckenberg, who since 2010, has held various leadership positions at INSA, most recently serving as the organization's first Chief Operating Officer. She was the driving force behind INSA's expansion into markets outside the Washington, DC region, as well as its popular, The New IC symposium, which focuses on diversity with inclusion in the intelligence community. Join more than 1,000 of your national security colleagues for a week of engaging panel conversations, an inspiring keynote, and a special fireside chat! Speakers will share their career journeys, talk about the barriers they've broken through, and discuss the importance of empowering women in the IC. Split into five different sessions, this virtual program will run one-hour each day for the week of July 12-16. You will also be able to connect with your colleagues in-person! On Thursday, July 15 INSA will host an in-person outdoor networking reception for New IC attendees to make connections and build relationships. See acast.com/privacy for privacy and opt-out information.

Meghan Flannery Hayes is the Department Head at Pennsylvania State University's Applied Research Lab (PSU/ARL) and has used her extraordinary leadership skills, vision, and empathy for others to transform her workplace, empower colleagues, and bring about positive organizational change. She is the lead member of the PSU/ARL's strategic plan and development team for recruiting and retention, and diversity, equity, and inclusion. More recently, she was awarded the Intelligence and National Security Alliance's Joan A. Dempsey Mentorship accolade, which recognizes a member of the intelligence, defense, and homeland security communities for their efforts to counsel junior colleagues and develop the future workforce. See acast.com/privacy for privacy and opt-out information.

This episode of Dark Rhino Security's, Security Confidential podcast and video cast features Dr. Calvin Nobles as the guest and he discusses how human factors can impact cybersecurity. The topics covered in the discussion are: How organizations should assess risk The human factor in cybersecurity Lessons learned from the aviation industry, the dirty dozen Risk frameworks in cybersecurity Cybersecurity and national security, the new underbelly The cybersecurity threat to small and medium business Business leveraging the dark web to conduct business Is cybersecurity a business problem or an IT problem? Should CISOs report to the CIO? Change the thinking on cybersecurity to be sustainable Over reliance on tools in cybersecurity, the unknown unknowns Findings in cybersecurity involving human factors You can't stop stupid Dog tired The link to the videocast About Dr. Calvin Nobles Dr. Calvin Nobles is a cybersecurity professional and human factors practitioner with more than 25 years of experience. Dr. Nobles retired from the U.S. Navy and currently works in the financial services industry as a Cybersecurity / Information Security subject matter expert. He recently earned a Doctor of Philosophy in Human Factors. His previous degrees are Doctor of Philosophy in Management and Engineering, graduate degrees in Information Systems Security, Aeronautical Science, Business Administration, Military Strategy and Operational Art. Additionally, He has completed several certificates in cybersecurity from Harvard University. Calvin is an adjunct faculty member at several universities teaching cybersecurity and MBA courses. He authored a book on the integration of technologically advanced aircraft in general aviation. Dr. Nobles’ personal story is featured in the book Black Men Changing the Narrative Through Education. He recently completed a Cybersecurity Policy Fellowship with the New America Think Tank in Washington, DC. Dr. Nobles serves on the Cybersecurity Advisory Board for Stillman College and serves on the Cyber Council for the Intelligence and National Security Alliance. Dr. Nobles led a global Cyber Intelligence Planning Group to align cybersecurity objectives for multiple international entities. He spearheaded a national-level technology prototype project enabling the U.S. to deploy strategic capabilities around the world, which established precedence of leveraging emerging technologies using agile practices. Dr. Nobles served as an advisor to senior executives to optimize cyber operations, developed business continuity and disaster recovery procedures, enhanced the information security strategies, and provided consultancy on big data analytics, machine learning, the internet of things, and artificial intelligence. To learn more about Dark Rhino Security Host: Manoj Tandon Guest: Calvin Nobles

The Intelligence and National Security Alliance's reimagined 'The New IC: Empowering Women and Engaging Men' program focused on fostering much needed conversation between men and women working in national security. Jill Bruning is the Executive Vice President and General Manager at Amentum and joined ClearanceJobs for a conversation about diversity with inclusion: why it's important to keep these two important things in the conversation of building DoD teams. "Bias is Biological: Understanding, Embracing and Leveraging Our Differences for Success and Balance" explained some of the more than 100 differences between female and male brains—including how they speak, think, and interact socially—and encourages our workforce to recognize these differences as a means to empower inclusion and boost each other up. Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion: https://news.clearancejobs.com/2020/09/14/diversity-equity-and-inclusion-in-the-national-security-workforce/ The New IC: https://news.clearancejobs.com/2020/07/07/insa-kicks-off-annual-event-in-a-virtual-environment-the-new-ic/ Embracing Differences and Diversity in National Security Workers: https://news.clearancejobs.com/2020/07/09/physiological-differences-sponsorship-and-diversity-in-national-security-workers/

Federal contractors have sensed a certain sluggishness in the government's pace of awarding contracts during the pandemic. Now a review of this phenomenon finds it's more pronounced in the intelligence community. With more on the slowdown, Accenture managing director and the chair of the acquisition management council at the Intelligence and National Security Alliance, Howard Weitzner.

Federal contractors have sensed a certain sluggishness in the government's pace of awarding contracts during the pandemic. Now a review of this phenomenon finds it's more pronounced in the intelligence community. With more on the slowdown, Accenture managing director and the chair of the acquisition management council at the Intelligence and National Security Alliance, Howard Weitzner.

ClearanceJobs recently sat down with Larry Hanauer, vice president of policy at the Intelligence and National Security Alliance, and Jen Sovada, Chief Futures Officer and Senior Vice President and General Manager of DoD and Intel at Mission Tech. The Intel Summit is 100% virtual this year, and there's still time to register for the three days of exclusive sessions and networking events taking place September 16-18. Attendees who can't attend every session will have the chance to watch sessions on demand later.

Today on The Neil Haley Show, The Total Tutor Neil Haley will interview K. Campbell of Blue Glacier. Blue Glacier personnel have over 40 years of combined intelligence and security experience, in both the public and private sectors. Our personnel and company are also active members of ASIS International, the leading organization for security professionals worldwide; InfraGard, a partnership between the FBI and the private sector; the Association of International Risk Intelligence Professionals; the Intelligence and National Security Alliance, and the International CPTED (Crime Prevention Through Environmental Design) Association. Blue Glacier is also a constituent in the U.S. State Department's Overseas Security Advisory Council, established to promote security cooperation between American private sector interests worldwide and the U.S. Department of State.

Agencies are testing their telework programs to prepare for the possibility of a local coronavirus outbreak. But there's one portion of the federal workforce where telework is not an option. The Intelligence and National Security Alliance is looking for some reassurances from the intelligence community, that classified federal employees and contractors will be protected and will get paid if secure facilities are forced to close. For more, and why classified workers can't work from home, Federal News Network's Nicole Ogrysko spoke with INSA's vice president for policy, Larry Hanauer.

When the government vets people for security clearance, some small differences show up in how it looks at federal employees and contractors. That's the conclusion of a detailed study conducted by the Intelligence and National Security Alliance. Here with details, Michael Hudson, the senior director of government solutions at ClearForce, joined Federal Drive with Tom Temin.

The Intelligence and National Security Alliance recently released a white paper on security clearance reciprocity - and how failures in policy and process are costing the government thousands of employee man hours. ClearanceJobs recently sat down with three members of INSA's Security Policy Reform Council: Charlie Allen, Principal, the Chertoff Group; Kathy Pherson, CEO, Pherson Associates; and Mary Edington, Director of Federal Security at KPMG to discuss the the white paper’s findings, and the history of security clearance reciprocity in government.

The impending shift to Fifth Generation Wireless - 5G – will dramatically reshape almost all aspects of our lives. Its effects will impact all industries and it’s expected to herald unprecedented innovation. Cyber security experts Sam Visner and John Nagengast, members of the Intelligence and National Security Alliance’s Cyber Council, discuss how 5G is different from previous networks, its applications and whether the United States is on pace in the race to 5G implementation. The economy and many aspects of our lives will depend on 5G capabilities. What are the risks involved and how do we keep 5G networks secure?

Suzanne Wilson Heckenberg was named INSA’s first chief operating officer in May 2016 after serving as vice president of development since 2012. As COO Suzanne oversees all aspects of the organization that support revenue generation, to include: membership, marketing, policy, public relations and events.   Mission INSA provides a nonpartisan forum for collaboration among the public, private, and academic sectors of the intelligence and national security communities that bring together committed experts in and out of government to identify, develop, and promote practical and creative solutions to national security problems. Vision To become the leading nonpartisan, nonprofit forum for driving public-private partnerships that advance intelligence and national security priorities.

This week we have a special episode of Intelligence Matters with Michael Morell, in which, The Cipher Brief expert Ambassador Joseph DeTrani weighs in on mounting tensions between the United States and North Korea. The exchange of fiery rhetoric between U.S. President Donald Trump and members of the North Korean regime raises the question, is this war of words a precursor to armed conflict, escalating the crisis to a tipping point. Trump has publicly rebuked his predecessors for leaving him what he described "a mess," and intensified warnings to North Korea making clear that a military option would be 'devastating' to them. Kim Jong-Un's regime have said that Trump's continued statements amount to a "declaration of war" and threaten to shoot down U.S. warplanes in international airspace. Ambassador DeTrani, who is one of our nation's leading experts on issues related to North Korea, China and nuclear nonproliferation talks to former Acting Director of the CIA Michael Morell about what drove North Korea to develop a nuclear program, how we got to where we are today, the alarming advancements the North Korean regime has made in creating miniaturized nuclear warheads and offers thoughts on what the best path forward is for the United States. Ambassador DeTrani was President of the Intelligence and National Security Alliance, a professional Think Tank. Previously, he was the Special envoy for Six Party Talks with North Korea and the U.S. Representative to the Korea Energy Development Organization (KEDO). He was an Associate Director of National Intelligence and Mission Manager for North Korea and the Director of National Counter Proliferation Center, while serving as a Special Adviser to the Director of National Intelligence. He served over two decades with the Central Intelligence Agency as a member of the Senior Intelligence Service. He is currently on the Board of Managers at Sandia National Laboratories.

Frances Fragos Townsend is the Senior Vice President at MacAndrews and Forbes Holdings, Inc. Ms. Townsend was a corporate partner at the law firm of Baker Botts, LLP. Previously, she served as Assistant to President George W. Bush for Homeland Security and Counterterrorism and chaired the Homeland Security Council from May 2004 until January 2008. Ms. Townsend is an on air contributor for CNN as a counterterrorism, national and homeland security expert. Ms. Townsend spent 13 years at the U.S. Department of Justice under the administrations of President George H. W. Bush, President Bill Clinton and President George W. Bush. Ms. Townsend is a Director and chairs the compensation committees of 3 private company Boards and serves as Director of 2 public companies. She serves on numerous government advisory and nonprofit boards. Ms. Townsend chairs the Board of the Intelligence and National Security Alliance and is a member of the Board of the Bipartisan Policy Council. She is also a member of the Council on Foreign Relations and the Trilateral Commission. ~~~ Established in 2004, CREATE is an interdisciplinary national research center based at the University of Southern California and funded by the U.S. Department of Homeland Security. The DHS Center of Excellence is focused on risk and economic analysis and comprises a team of experts from across the country, including partnerships with numerous universities and research institutions.

Hackers don’t appear to be slowing down anytime soon.  This time they reportedly managed to target U.S. intelligence officials, including some from the Obama Administration.  The names and addresses of hundreds of those officials were posted on an anti-secrecy website after computer hackers allegedly took them from the internal membership list of the Intelligence and National Security Alliance. They may be hackers but they are saying no to cybercrime.  Gong Wei and Wan Tow released a convention calling for the rejection of cybercrime.  They are asking their associates and peers to support it. A UK tabloid will have to shell out some big bucks for its alleged role in phone hacking.  News International, which is the UK division of News Corp, will reportedly pay $4.7 million to the family of Milly Dowler.  She is the 13- year old murder victim allegedly involved in the News of the World phone hacking scandal.