SpyCast

Summary Camille Stewart Gloster (X, LinkedIn) joins Andrew (X; LinkedIn) to discuss her career in cyber. Camille was the first Deputy National Cyber Director for Technology & Ecosystem for the White House.  What You’ll Learn Intelligence The intersections between technology and law The origins of the cyber threat The importance of cyber education Building a diverse cyber workforce Reflections Chal...

Summary Michael Collins joins Andrew to discuss the National Intelligence Council. Michael is the NIC’s current acting chair.  What You’ll Learn Intelligence The role of the National Intelligence Council National Intelligence Officers and their work around the world The products of the NIC, including the Annual Threat Assessment The importance of Intelligence Diplomacy and objective analysis  Refl...

Summary Jason Barlow (X; Biography) joins Andrew (X; LinkedIn) to discuss the iconic James Bond vehicles. Jason is the longstanding editor-at-large at Top Gear. What You’ll Learn Intelligence How the “Bond car” phenomenon came to be Ian Fleming’s love for cars The different “nationalities” of Bond cars What it’s like to be behind the wheel of some of these iconic cars  Reflections The making of po...

Summary Laura Hicken (LinkedIn) and Lauren vonBechmann (LinkedIn) join Andrew (X; LinkedIn) to discuss the collection of the International Spy Museum. SPY’s collection consists of 10,000 espionage-related artifacts.  What You’ll Learn Intelligence The ins and outs of getting into the museum field Why Museums? SPYs largest, smallest, and coolest artifacts The challenges of being a “spy” museum Refl...

Summary Dennis Eger (LinkedIn) and Shawn Nilius (LinkedIn) join Andrew (X; LinkedIn) to discuss open-source intelligence. Combined, the two have over six decades of service to the U.S. Army.  What You’ll Learn Intelligence What is Open-Source Intelligence  How the US Army utilizes and collects OSINT  OSINT across the Intelligence Community How OSINT has impacted the War in Ukraine Reflections The...

Summary Andrew Hodges (Website, Wikipedia) joins Andrew (X; LinkedIn) to discuss the life and work of Alan Turing. Andrew is an emeritus senior research fellow of mathematics at the University of Oxford.  What You’ll Learn Intelligence Turing’s early foundations for artificial intelligence  Interwar cryptanalysis Bletchley Park, Hut 8, and British Naval Intelligence The mechanics of the Bombe mach...

Summary Simon Shuster (X, Website) joins Andrew (X; LinkedIn) to discuss President Volodymyr Zelenskyy and Ukraine. Simon is a senior correspondent at TIME.  What You’ll Learn Intelligence Zelenskyy’s career pre-Presidency Reactions to the 2022 Russian invasion Ukrainian public opinion of Zelenskyy Zelenskyy’s relationship with Ukrainian intelligence  Reflections Contagious courage  Leadership sty...

Summary Nicholas Shakespeare (X; Website) joins Andrew (X; LinkedIn) to discuss the life and legacy of Ian Fleming. Nicholas is an award-winning novelist and biographer.   What You’ll Learn Intelligence Fleming’s family and upbringing Debunking misconceptions about Fleming’s character Fleming’s career in intelligence British Naval Intelligence operations during WWII Reflections Life influencing li...

Summary John Blaxland (X, LinkedIn) and Clare Birgin (Wikipedia, LinkedIn) join Andrew (X; LinkedIn) to discuss Australian codebreaking. John and Clare are coauthors of the new book Revealing Secrets.  What You’ll Learn Intelligence The importance of SIGINT Codebreaking in Australian intelligence Australia’s role in WWII and the Cold War The advent and evolution of cyber  Reflections Strategic def...

Summary Diane Foley (Website, LinkedIn) joins Andrew (X; LinkedIn) to discuss the legacy of her son, James Foley. James was held hostage and murdered by ISIS in 2014.  What You’ll Learn Intelligence The enduring legacy of James’ murder James’ time in captivity in Libya  A mother’s experience communicating with her son’s captors How hostage recovery efforts have evolved since 2014 Reflections Grief...

Summary Avi Loeb (Harvard Biography, Wikipedia) joins Andrew (X; LinkedIn) to discuss intelligence in outer space. He is a Professor in the Department of Astronomy at Harvard University.  What You’ll Learn Intelligence The Galileo Project & its goals The Intelligence Community and Outer Space Government positions on the existence of extraterrestrial life Connections between intelligence and astrop...

Summary Angie Gad (LinkedIn, Website) joined Andrew (X; LinkedIn) to discuss her career in intelligence analysis. Angie is a first-generation Egyptian-American.  What You’ll Learn Intelligence The role of state fusion centers to national intelligence How counterterrorism analysis evolved after 9/11 The connections between ISIS and Far Right Extremists The mental health implications of counterterro...

Summary Mark Stout (X; LinkedIn) joins Andrew (X; LinkedIn) to discuss his new book, World War I and the Foundations of American Intelligence. Mark Stout is a former intelligence analyst and former SPY Historian.  What You’ll Learn Intelligence The first American intelligence “agencies” Codebreaking during WWI The American Protective League and spy paranoia  WWI’s effect on American culture and po...

Summary Andrew Hampton joins Andrew (X; LinkedIn) to discuss intelligence in New Zealand. Andrew is the Director General of the New Zealand Security Intelligence Service.  What You’ll Learn Intelligence The New Zealand Intelligence Community How geography effects national security The lasting impact of the Christchurch Mosque attacks New Zealand’s relationship with China Reflections The power of c...

Summary David Oranchak (X, LinkedIn) joins Andrew (X; LinkedIn) to discuss his work helping to solve the 340 Zodiac cipher. Dave is a software developer and avid puzzle solver.  What You’ll Learn Intelligence The difference between codes and ciphers The cryptological methods used by the Zodiac killer  The history of cryptography and its importance to intelligence How Dave and his team cracked the...

Summary Mark Edlitz (X, LinkedIn) joins Andrew (X; LinkedIn) to discuss how James Bond lived on in literature after the death of Ian Fleming. Mark is an author and pop culture expert.  What You’ll Learn Intelligence The original Fleming novels Intellectual property and author’s rights to iconic characters The evolution of Bond as a literary character  The relationship between the Bond books and th...

Summary Mark Zaid (X, LinkedIn) joins Andrew (X; LinkedIn) to discuss American intelligence and the law. You’ve heard of a “lawyer to the stars,” Mark is the “lawyer to the spies” What You’ll Learn Intelligence The quirks of being a lawyer in this space How the Espionage Act works in practice  The trial of the Rosenbergs The origins of FOIA and its purpose The Legal foundations underpinning espion...

Summary Dr. Sara Castro (LinkedIn, Bio) joins Andrew (X; LinkedIn) to discuss the history of US-China diplomacy. Sara is an Associate Professor of History at the United States Air Force Academy.  What You’ll Learn Intelligence The Dixie Mission  The history of US-China relations dating back to the Opium Wars China’s involvement with the OSS during WWII How Mao Zedong & Chiang Kai-shek built modern...

Summary Mike VanBlaricum (X; LinkedIn) joins Andrew (X; LinkedIn) to discuss his journey as a James Bond fanatic and collector. Mike is the President of the Ian Fleming Foundation. What You’ll Learn Intelligence How Mike became an obsessive James Bond collector with 10,000 artifacts Mike’s favorite Bond cars, movies, and books How From Russia with Love was one of John F Kennedy’s favorite books Mi...

Summary Dr. Ursula Wilder (LinkedIn) joins Andrew (X; LinkedIn) to discuss the intersections between psychology and intelligence. Ursula is a clinical psychologist with over two decades of experience working at the Central Intelligence Agency.  What You’ll Learn Intelligence How psychology can be useful to national security Historical examples of leadership analysis  Leadership personality assessm...

Summary Dr. Ursula Wilder (LinkedIn) joins Andrew (X; LinkedIn) to discuss the intersections between psychology and intelligence. Ursula is a clinical psychologist with over two decades of experience working at the Central Intelligence Agency.  What You’ll Learn Intelligence How psychology can be useful to national security Historical examples of leadership analysis  Leadership personality assessm...

Summary Leon Panetta (Panetta Institute) joins Andrew (X; LinkedIn) to discuss his lifetime of American public service. Secretary Panetta was the 2023 recipient of SPY’s William H. Webster Award.  What You’ll Learn Intelligence Directing the Central Intelligence Agency Intelligence & the Abbottabad Raid Working within the Clinton Administration  A life’s dedication to the safety of the American pu...

Summary Rory Cormac (X) and Richard Aldrich join Andrew (X; LinkedIn) to discuss intelligence and the British Monarchy. The links between the royals and espionage prove the Crown to be far more than just a figurehead.   What You’ll Learn Intelligence Prince William’s internship with British Intelligence How Elizabeth II knew perhaps more secrets that anyone else in history King Charles' love of in...

Summary Curators Alexis (LinkedIn) and Andrew (Twitter; LinkedIn) use James Bond artifacts in SPY’s collection to discuss all things 007. This year marks the 70th anniversary of the first Ian Fleming novel, Casino Royale.  What You’ll Learn Intelligence Bond vs. Real Life Spies The birth of James Bond  Ian Fleming’s intelligence past Bond and MI6 Reflections What makes a character timeless? Pop cu...