Badass in Heels

In this episode, retired Supervisory Special Agent (SSA) Zorka Martinovich talks to us about some of the hostage cases she worked, some heartbreaking and some with a positive resolution. From kidnappings in the Caribbean to kidnappings by terrorist organizations, Zorka gets real. Perhaps my most thought-provoking content thus far, it'll get you thinking about the US hostage policies. Zorka also ta...

Retired FBI Supervisory Special Agent Zorka Martinovich, who has 30 years of public service experience, 22 of which were dedicated to the FBI mission,  takes us on the hostage negotiation journey! Zorka is a renowned subject matter expert on hostage and crisis negotiations. Listen to the first part of our conversation and get immersed in her journey, from being born and raised in Chicago to becomi...

Retired Supervisory Special Agent Michelle Pickens takes us to Quantico. SSA Pickens has served the Bureau for 24 years, and since 2020, she has been an instructor at the FBI Academy. In this episode, SSA Pickens gives us a brief glimpse of her pre-Bureau life and talks about her motivations to join the FBI. She then takes us back to Silence of the Lambs and discusses what it's like to be an instr...

Retired FBI Supervisory Special Agent (SSA) Marella Ruelas and I have a conversation about her time as a Supervisor at Headquarters, the different units she worked, particularly the International Operations Division. Marella talks to me about what it was like being a woman at Hoover, Afghanistan and Quantico. We also discuss the benefits of working for the Bureau, recruitment of women New Agents,...

Retired Supervisory Special Agent Marella Ruelas takes us into her law enforcement journey, from training with U.S. Marines to bringing down a corrupt Custom and Border Protection Inspector, who was working for the Gulf Cartel. Learn about the advantages of being bilingual in the Bureau and what it was like to be a woman opening up one of Puerto Rico's satellite offices!

Retired Supervisory Special Agent Tracy Bradford talks about her journey in the FBI, from her sources of inspiration, to being shot!, to making it all the way to the 7th floor of the Hoover building. She tells us about two undercover ops, her trips overseas, and what it was like to ascend the ladder at HQ. If you are looking for real advice and a mentor, don't miss the end of our conversation!

San Juan, Puerto Rico-based SSA "Claudia," a first generation Mexican-American, takes us through her journey from growing up in California and seeing her parents work hard so she could have a better future, to attending university and being recruited by the Bureau. She tells us her story about becoming an Intelligence Analyst and later changing her career to Special Agent and becoming a Supervisor...

Retired Supervisory Special Agent Nidia Gamba takes us through her journey as a woman Special Agent in the FBI. From hunting terrorists after 9/11 to becoming an FBI profiler. This episode contains language related to terrorism and sexual assault, listener discretion is advised.

Hi! I am Nancy Aguilar, a retired FBI Supervisory Special Agent, and your host.  Here is a little intro into the world of Badass in Heels. I hope you come back once it's launched!