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Past Event
Seminar

The Changing Nature of Intelligence: Embracing Commercially-Sourced Intelligence for Strategic Advantage

RSVP Required Open to the Public

With the increasing availability of commercial and open source information, valuing classified data over all other sources of information is "archaic," in the words of Cynthia Saddy, EJ Alam, and Kelli Holden, and the U.S. intelligence community needs to modernize its strategic approach to adapt to a world driven by data. Too often, conversations about the changing nature of information focus on the catch-all of open source information (OSINT), without paying sufficient attention to commercially-sourced intelligence (CSINT). In this event, hosted by the Belfer Center's Intelligence Project, Cynthia, EJ, and Kelli will draw on their years' of experience in the intelligence community to discuss the complementary roles that CSINT and classified data can play in furthering national security. This conversation will build off the panelists' new Cipher Brief article from February 9, 2022, entitled: "The Intelligence Game is Changing. Are We Ready?", which argues that the U.S. Government is at risk of losing ground to its adversaries and needs a clear data strategy.

The discussion will be moderated by Intelligence Project Program Coordinator Maria Robson Morrow. This virtual event is off the record and will be held under Chatham House Rules. Registration is required. To join, please register at: https://harvard.zoom.us/webinar/register/WN_38JGI-cWTEyVY5O6whLHhw.

 

 

Date: Time: - Location: Online
Programming Code

Speaker Bios

Cynthia Saddy is a former senior executive with the Central Intelligence Agency, where she held numerous leadership positions including the Directorate of Operation’s Chief Technology Officer (Acting and Deputy), Senior Advisor to In-Q-Tel, Chief of Staff to the Director of Operations, and as a two time Division Chief of Operations responsible for leading large-scale HUMINT and technical programs across multiple geographic regions.

EunJoo “EJ” Alam is a retired senior national security executive with over 30 years of government service. She has led clandestine operations, tradecraft, counterintelligence, information security, and intelligence collection efforts for the CIA.  Her senior assignments include three time field commander in the former Soviet Union, East Asia, and South Asia; Chief of Operations for Iran Mission Center, Deputy Chief China Department in East Asia Pacific Mission Center, and Executive Assistant to the Deputy Director for Operations.

Kelli Holden retired as a senior Central Intelligence Agency (CIA) executive with over 28 years of experience in intelligence operations. Concluding her career as Counterintelligence Chief of Operations for CIA, she served in numerous field command and Washington-based leadership positions driving complex HUMINT and technical programs across geographic regions, including high threat and high counterintelligence environments.