In the Interest of National Security

Our guest for this episode is Ted Jones, Senior Director for National Security and International Programs at the Nuclear Energy Institute in Washington, D.C., the premier policy organization driving the nuclear industry forward. With a background spanning policy, law, and international energy markets, Jones has built a career at the intersection of national security and nuclear strategy. He holds...

Our guest for this episode is Nico Dekens, a veteran practitioner of Open Source Intelligence (OSINT), cyber intelligence, and online investigations with 20+ years in Dutch law enforcement as an all-source intelligence analyst.   Now the owner of Dutch OSINT Guy Intelligence Services and Director of Intelligence & Collection Innovation at ShadowDragon, Dekens is widely known in the OSINT commu...

Our guest today is Grant Amacher, a distinguished graduate of Electrical Engineering from the University of Utah. With over 30 years of executive leadership at Intel Corporation, Mr. Amacher brings a wealth of expertise in the advanced semiconductor and chip industry. Before his tenure at Intel, he served as a lead engineer at EDO Corporation (now part of L3 Harris), where he contributed to the de...

Our guest today is Matthew Toussain, a recognized leader in offensive security, penetration testing, and cybersecurity training. Mr. Toussain is the founder of Open Security, a firm dedicated to real-world adversarial testing, red teaming, and advanced security education. As a former U.S. Air Force cyber warfare leader, he has spent over a decade at the cutting edge of cybersecurity, specializing...

Our guest today is Dr. Rebecca Dudley. Dr. Dudley is an Assistant Professor of Political Science at Brigham Young University, where she teaches courses on civil wars and American foreign policy. She received her PhD in Political Science from Duke University. Her research focuses on conflict resolution and foreign policy, emphasizing the role that third parties play in the dynamics of conflict and...

Our guest today is Jacques Sabrie, a Principal at MITRE, a non-profit organization that operates federally funded research and development centers, which power advances in national defense and security. Mr. Sabrie has been instrumental in coordinating efforts with the National Geospatial-Intelligence Agency (NGA), leveraging his extensive experience in systems engineering and global intelligence,...

Our guest today is Andy Pierucci, the Head of Government Affairs for Savage Services Corporation, a global provider of supply chain solutions. Mr. Pierucci also serves as a city council member in Riverton, Utah, and teaches as an adjunct professor at Utah Valley University's Center for National Security Studies.    Listen as Mr. Pierucci discusses private industry and national security, the role t...

Our guest today is Dr. Diana Bolsinger. Dr. Bolsinger currently serves as an Assistant Professor in the Department of Criminal Justice and Security Studies at the University of Texas at El Paso. Dr. Bolsinger’s career includes experience with the US Department of State, the Central Intelligence Agency, and the Office of the Director of National Intelligence.  Listen as Dr. Bolsinger conveys the nu...

Our guest today is retired U.S. Airforce Brigadier General Max Stitzer. General Stitzer served worldwide deployments, including a combined seven years at The Pentagon and two tours with the Joint Chiefs of Staff. He currently works with 47G—an aerospace and defense organization located in Utah.   Listen as General Stitzer recounts his experiences in the US Air Force. From his days as an enlisted m...

Our guest this week is retired Special Agent in Charge Richard Quinn. Mr. Quinn began his career with the FBI in the New York Field Office where he investigated counterintelligence and international terrorism cases and would eventually serve in senior leadership positions in Chicago, Philadelphia, St. Louis, Washington DC, and at the Central Intelligence Agency.    Listen as Mr. Quinn recounts his...

Our guest this week is Dr. Frederick White. Dr. White is a professor of Russian and Integrated Studies at Utah Valley University, and a specialist in Russian literature, film, and culture. Listen as Professor White discusses how Vladimir Putin cemented his authority as Russian President, how Alexei Navalny challenged Putin’s authority in Russia, and how Russian territorial ambitions pose a threat...

Our guest this week is John McClure, Deputy Director of the Center for National Security Studies at Utah Valley University. John worked at the county, state, and federal levels as an Intelligence Analyst specializing in counterterrorism investigations in the State of Utah.    Listen as Deputy Director McClure discusses his education in Terrorism Studies at St. Andrews University in Scotland, and h...

Our guest this week is Dr. Kerry Kartchner, nuclear weapons policy expert, former US Department of State representative, and adjunct professor at Utah Valley University’s Center for National Security Studies.    Listen as Dr. Kartchner recounts his career beginning as an instructor at the Naval postgraduate school, his participation in the implementation of the Strategic Arms Reduction Treaty (STA...

Our guest this week is Matt Berrett, cofounder of the Center for Anticipatory Intelligence (CAI) at Utah State University, Director of Analytics at Space Dynamics Lab (SDL), and retired Assistant Director with the Central Intelligence Agency (CIA).   Listen as Director Berrett describes his early career with the CIA, his time directing the President’s Daily Brief (PDB), and the relationship betwee...

Our guest this week is Dr. Jared Pendleton, a Civil Service officer with the U.S. Department of State and an adjunct professor at Utah Valley University’s Center for National Security Studies. Listen as Dr. Pendleton discusses graduate school in Southern California, his time as a political officer in the foreign service, and language training at the Foreign Service Institute (FSI).    What is the...

Listen as Professor Greg Jackson, Senior Fellow at the Center for National Security Studies and host of the podcast, History that Doesn’t Suck , discusses the historical context behind the conflict between Israel and Hamas.    How did European colonialism set the stage for decades of violence in the region? How does the conflict reflect wider international tensions? Will the U.S. response and supp...

Listen as Dr. Eric Hyer, retired professor of political science and Coordinator of Asian Studies at the David M. Kennedy Center for International Studies at Brigham Young University, discusses his time studying in Taiwan, experience with the foreign service, research regarding Chinese border disputes, and thoughts on political leadership in China.    How does the One China Policy maintain peace on...

Listen as Maggie Hutchens and Ethan Morse, seniors in the National Security Studies Program at Utah Valley University (UVU), share their experiences studying national security at UVU and competing in the Atlantic Council’s Cyber 9/12 Strategy Challenge. How does the Center for National Security Studies (CNSS) prepare students to apply practical skills in the professional field? What is the makeup...

Listen as Professor Gordon Flake, CEO of the Perth USAsia Centre, shares experiences from his career working with think tanks, attending global diplomatic conferences, and establishing a center for studying relations between Australia, Asia, and the U.S. How does Australia act as a fulcrum for U.S. Indo-Pacific strategy? Which global partners does Australia rely on for national security? Which Asi...

Listen as Rachael Hutchings, Deputy Director of the Center for National Security Studies at Utah Valley University (UVU), walks us through her career path–from law school in Tennessee to the Japan Energy Law Institute in Tokyo to the Center for National Security Studies at UVU–and discusses nuclear energy in a national security context. How can a legal education equip students to succeed in nation...

Listen as Dr. Jeannie Johnson, Founding Director of the Center for Anticipatory Intelligence (CAI) at Utah State University (USU), draws from her experience at the Central Intelligence Agency (CIA) and Department of State (DOS) to explain and illustrate the concepts of Anticipatory Intelligence and Strategic Culture. What is "Anticipatory Intelligence" and how does it complement traditional forms...

Listen as Alan Fuller, Chief Information Officer for the State of Utah, and Phil Bates, Chief Information Security Officer with the Utah Department of Technology Services, discuss the opportunities and challenges posed by advancing technology. How have advances in technology both positively and negatively impacted Utah and its citizens? How does the Utah state government combat cybercrime targetin...

Listen as Professor Rob Flores shares insights from his military intelligence work in Afghanistan, lessons learned from his time as a liaison officer and all-source analyst at the DIA, and the importance of academia in national security.  How did U.S. military intelligence evolve in Afghanistan after 9/11? Why does the DIA engage in defense diplomacy and strategic analysis? And how does the unique...

Listen as Tyson Woodruff – Managing Director at PwC, former CIA operations officer, and former FBI special agent – draws from his unique career in both the federal government and the private sector to share valuable perspectives on different areas of national security work.  How do the missions, methods, and people of the FBI and CIA differ, and in what ways are they the same? Why is integrity an...

Listen as Brandon Amacher, Director of the Emerging Tech Policy Lab, discusses his background and role in leading EMTECH as part of Utah’s Intermountain Intelligence, Industry, and Security Consortium (I3SC).  What necessary services do I3SC and the EMTECH lab provide to Utah’s public and private sectors? How do people of all backgrounds, both technical and not, contribute to cyber security?...