Milton Maltz
Founding Chairman of the International Spy Museum
Milton Maltz is the founder of the International Spy Museum. He founded Malrite Communications Group, Inc. in 1956 and served as its Chairman and CEO until he sold the company in 1998. Under his direction, Malrite became one of the most successful operators of radio and television properties in the country, with stations in major markets like New York and Los Angeles. In 1985, he was the recipient of the prestigious Dively Award for Entrepreneurship, receiving a Chair from the Harvard Business School. Mr. Maltz served as Director of Key Bank, and in 1996 was inducted into the Cleveland Business Hall of Fame. Two of his outstanding civic endeavors have been the creation of the Maltz Family Foundation and his involvement in the founding and development of the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame and Museum, in which he played a major role in obtaining the project for the City of Cleveland. Active in numerous philanthropic and civic organizations, Mr. Maltz and his family work to support various charities both nationally and internationally. Mr. Maltz earned a B.S. degree in journalism from the University of Illinois. A veteran of the United States Navy, Mr. Maltz developed an interest in intelligence and national security issues when he worked for the National Security Agency in Washington, DC. In 2021, Mr. Maltz published his memoir A Passion for Broadcasting: Stories of My Life. Available exclusively through the Spy Museum Store, all proceeds benefit the Museum's research, exhibitions, and educational programming.
James Gomez
Vice Chair
President and COO of The Malrite Company, James Gomez oversees the operational and financial management of business affairs for all company projects including the Maltz Museum of Jewish Heritage in Cleveland, Ohio and the Maltz Jupiter Theatre in Jupiter, Florida. Mr. Gomez has been involved with the International Spy Museum since its inception and led the award-winning project to build the Museum’s new L’Enfant Plaza location in Washington, DC. Prior to joining The Malrite Company in April 2000, Mr. Gomez spent more than six years in the public and private accounting industries. He served as a Senior Consultant and Auditor for Ernst & Young, LLP, where he worked in the Assurance and Advisory Business Services Groups. Mr. Gomez also heads The Maltz Family Office, a broad investment organization that also oversees a number of philanthropic projects. Mr. Gomez has a bachelor’s degree in business and accounting from Cleveland State University.
Christine Abizaid
Board Member
Christine Abizaid led the US Government’s counterterrorism enterprise while serving as the Director of the National Counterterrorism Center (NCTC) from June 2021 to July 2024. She was the eighth Senate confirmed Director and the first woman to lead NCTC. Before joining NCTC, Ms. Abizaid was as an executive at Dell Technologies. During the Obama Administration, she was appointed as the Deputy Assistant Secretary of Defense for Afghanistan, Pakistan, and Central Asia and served on the National Security Council as both Director for Counterterrorism and Senior Policy Advisor to the President’s Assistant for Homeland Security and Counterterrorism. She also led the 2016 Austin expansion of the Defense Innovation Unit at the request of then-Secretary of Defense, Ash Carter. Ms. Abizaid began her career as a counterterrorism analyst at the Defense Intelligence Agency’s Joint Intelligence Task Force for Combatting Terrorism where she focused on the Middle East and South Asia, deploying several times to the Middle East alongside the US military. She has received the National Intelligence Distinguished Service Medal; the Central Intelligence Agency Director’s Award; the Office of the Director of National Intelligence Award; the National Military Intelligence Association John T. Hughes Award; and the DIA Meritorious Civilian Service Award.
LTG Robert Ashley, Jr., USA (Ret.)
Board Member
Lieutenant General Robert P. Ashley Jr. became the 21st Director of the Defense Intelligence Agency on 3 October 2017. He formerly served as the Army Deputy Chief of Staff, G-2, where he was the senior advisor to the Secretary of the Army and Army Chief of Staff for all aspects of intelligence, counterintelligence, and security. He is a career army military intelligence officer with assignments in the United States and Turkey; and deployments to Operation JOINT FORGE, Sarajevo, Bosnia-Herzegovina; Operation IRAQI FREEDOM, Iraq; and Operation ENDURING FREEDOM, Afghanistan. He has commanded at the company, battalion, squadron, and brigade levels with combat tours in Iraq and Afghanistan as a squadron, brigade commander, and J-2. Other key assignments include the Director of Intelligence, United States Army Joint Special Operations Command; the Director of Intelligence, United States Central Command; the Deputy Chief of Staff, Intelligence, International Security Assistance Force and Director of Intelligence, United States Forces, Afghanistan; and Commanding General, the United States Army Intelligence Center of Excellence. His awards and decorations include the Defense Superior Service Medal (2OLC), Legion of Merit (1OLC), and Bronze Star Medal (2OLC). Upon his retirement he received the National Intelligence Distinguished Service.
Aaron Bedrowsky
Board Member
Aaron Bedrowsky is Senior Vice President for the Intelligence and Homeland Security division at GDIT, where he oversees strategy, operations, and delivery of advanced technical solutions supporting the Intelligence Community and Homeland Security missions. Prior to joining GDIT in May 2024, Mr. Bedrowsky held progressively senior leadership positions at Leidos and SAIC, including Cyber and SIGINT Solutions, Operations Support, Mission Solutions and Global Logistics Solutions. His more than three decades of experience spans military service, government service, and across industry in national security, intelligence solutions, and global business operations. Mr. Bedrowsky began his career in the US Navy as a cryptologic technician and has continued to serve the national security and intelligence community missions for over 30 years.
Julie Bowen
Board Member
Julie Bowen is the deputy general counsel at American Progress. Previously, she spent almost 20 years at the MITRE Corporation, a nonprofit organization that runs federally funded research and development centers supporting virtually all agencies of the U.S. Government. She was senior vice president, chief legal officer, corporate secretary, and held various other positions during her tenure. Bowen also serves on the boards of the International SPY Museum, Boulder Crest Foundation, and World Central Kitchen. She is a native of Annapolis and a graduate of The Catholic University and the The Catholic University School of Law.
P. James (Jim) Brady III, CPA
Board Member
With more than 40 years of experience as a global and domestic professional leader, Mr. P. James (Jim) Brady III,CPA is the Vice Chairman of Advisory Services for the alliantgroup's Strategic Advisory Board. Previously, Mr. Brady spent 25 years as a partner serving clients and running P&L businesses, including nine years as Regional Managing Partner for Deloitte within the Central Atlantic and Southeast regions. Furthermore, he spent seven years at Deloitte launching and building Audit and Advisory businesses in Russia and India. As the former COO and Vice Chairman of Grant Thornton, Mr. Brady developed and executed strategic initiatives and championed the operational integration of Grant Thornton's businesses and capabilities. Mr. Brady also serves on Bryant University’s Board of Trustees, The US Chamber of Commerce Board of Directors, Wake Forest University’s School of Business, and VisionSpring.
Paul Chi
Board Member
Paul Chi leads Booz Allen’s intelligence account, including the US government classified and National Geospatial-Intelligence Agency businesses. Mr. Chi and his diverse team provide innovative solutions to clients in information technology, data science, cybersecurity, engineering, organizational change management, and core intelligence missions. Prior to his current role, Mr. Chi partnered with the intelligence community, the Department of Defense, and commercial clients to develop solutions for signals intelligence analysis, all-source research and analysis, information security, and data analytics. His areas of expertise include computer science and engineering, radio frequency technologies, cyber, networking technologies, biometrics, data science, technical operations and targeting, financial intelligence, advanced prototyping, innovative and applied solutions, and non-traditional approaches to difficult and ongoing mission challenges. As a longstanding champion of diversity, equity, and inclusion, Mr. Chi is an executive sponsor of Booz Allen’s Global Multicultural Business Resource Group and a senior advisor to the Asian-Pacific American Network. He was recently honored with Washington Business Journal’s 2023 Diversity in Business award. Mr. Chi earned a B.S. in electrical engineering from the University of Michigan.
Lizette Corro
Board Member
Lizette Corro is the President and Chief Executive Officer of Corro Nobil Associates, a strategic planning and consulting firm. Prior to founding Corro Nobil Associates she spent eight years as Chief Executive Officer of two strategic planning, fundraising, and global event management agencies, where she developed and implemented growth strategies and events that substantially increased each firm's revenues and visibility. Ms. Corro also served as the Senior Vice President of Resource Development for America's Promise - The Alliance for Youth and a Managing Director at Orr Associates, Inc., a consulting firm that specializes in strategic planning, board development, capital campaigns, foundation management, and event management. She also led an earlier incarnation of Corro Nobil Associates which focused on consulting to the hospitality industry. Ms. Corro currently serves on the Board of Directors of the National Museum of Women in the Arts, World Central Kitchen, National Cherry Blossom Festival, La Cosecha Foundation, and the Orchestra of the Americas. She is an Associate Member of the Board of Visitors of Children’s National Medical Center, and on the Board of Advisors of Post-Classical Ensemble.
Kelley DeConciliis
Board Member
As Corporate Senior Vice President of Integration (M&A) at VTG located in Chantilly, VA, Kelley DeConciliis brings over 20 years of experience as a trusted advisor on classified international operations, tech start-ups, acquisitions, counter-bioterrorism, expeditionary medicine, exfiltration services, and complex cybersecurity programs. As an exfiltration expert within the Intelligence Community, she serves as Vice Chairman and Adjunct Professor at The Institute of World Politics and serves on the Board of Directors at Operator Relief Fund. Ms. DeConciliis managed the second largest supply chain for PEPFAR at USAID to over 16 countries throughout Africa. She ran medical programs for the world’s largest health care system under Defense Health Agency (DHA) with 60 Military Treatment Facilities (MTFs) around the globe, Forward Operating Bases (FOBs), detention centers, and the White House Medical Unit. At Microsoft, she worked under Bill Gates’ Research and Development Sector. After 9/11, DeConciliis developed a national prototype for the next generation "all risks ready" emergency department in Washington, DC. She holds a Neuro-psychology degree from The Catholic University of America and has been featured as a security and exfiltration commentator on CNN, Fox News, and The Washington Post.
Vlad Duthiers
Board Member
Vladimir Duthiers is a featured host of CBS MORNINGS and is part of the team delivering the first look at the day’s top stories. The award-winning journalist joined CBS News in 2014 and has interviewed high-profile politicians, business leaders and celebrities. He has reported from multiple countries in Africa, Europe, the Middle East & Asia and was part of the team that won two Emmy Awards for its coverage of the 2010 Haiti earthquake. In 2014, Duthiers won a Peabody Award for his reporting of the kidnapped Nigerian schoolgirls. He began his news career with “Amanpour” and “Anderson Cooper 360” at CNN in 2009. He graduated from the University of Rhode Island with a B.A. in political science and from Columbia University with a M.S. in journalism.
Joe Fluet
Board Member
As CEO and founder of MAG Aerospace (MAG), Joe Fluet provides corporate leadership and strategic vision for MAG, the industry’s most comprehensive “tip to tail” services provider for intelligence, surveillance, and reconnaissance (ISR), able to support federal, international, and commercial customers worldwide with ISR training, operations, and sustainment support. Mr. Fluet has founded and led multiple highly successful companies, in a wide array of industries. Earlier in his career, he served as a Washington, DC Attorney specializing in government contracts and international law. Prior to that he served as a judicial law clerk to the Chief Judge of the United States Court of Appeals for the 11th Circuit Court of Appeals. Mr. Fluet has also had a distinguished career in the military and national security. His career includes service in both active and reserve forces, spanning 20 years in a variety of aviation units. A veteran of conflicts in Iraq, Afghanistan, and other overseas locations, he is an experienced combat commander with expertise in security, combat aviation, special operations, and counter-narcotics.
Karyn Flynn
Board Member
Karyn Flynn is the founder of Holos, a weekly newsletter of health & wellness, longevity and purposeful living information and tips for women journeying through midlife. Ms. Flynn previously served as CEO of the Bay Area Discovery Museum (BADM) for eight and a half years. She was also a Trustee of the Bay Area Discovery Museum for more than five years, serving as the Chair of the Board of Trustees and Chair of the Development Committee. Ms. Flynn's previous experience includes investment management as a Vice President in Goldman Sachs’s Private Wealth Management Group. She currently mentors veterans though American Corporate Partners and has served on the board of community organizations including the Bay Area Discovery Museum, The Financial Women’s Association, Heyday Books, the Mountain Play Association, and Marin Advocates for Children. Ms. Flynn has been recognized as one of the Most Influential Women in Bay Area Business by the San Francisco Business Times.
Alonzo Fulgham
Board Member
Executive Vice President-Defense/Homeland for VIATEQ Corporation, Alonzo L. Fulgham, is a seasoned InternationalDevelopment Policy, Planning, and Operations Executive. In January of 2009, Mr. Fulgham was appointed by President Barack Obama as Acting Administrator (CEO) for the US Agency for International Development (USAID) and was responsible for planning, development, and execution of the United States’ development policy and humanitarian assistance programs. Mr. Fulgham’s prior experience includes senior leadership positions at both Galileo Energy Partners, LLC as well as CH2M HILL. Mr. Fulgham was also the founding principal of TJM International Consultancy, a boutique business focused on advising a limited portfolio of global business concerns, NGOs, and entrepreneurial interests. He currently serves on the Board of Directors for CRDF Global, Eurasia Foundation, Meridian International, The Council on Foreign Relations, the International Advisory Council of the Carnegie Mellon University Center for International Relations and Politics, and the American Academy for Diplomacy where he serves as Vice Chair. Mr. Fulgham earned a Bachelor of Arts in business and economics from Fisk University and a Master of Arts from the National Defense University.
Juliane Gallina
Board Member
Juliane Gallina spent three decades leading technology and intelligence work for the U.S. government and private industry. She retired from the CIA in 2025 as Deputy Director of the CIA for Digital Innovation, where she oversaw the agency's efforts in artificial intelligence and data, cybersecurity and cyber operations, global communications and information technology development. Earlier in her career, she served in the U.S. Navy and at the National Reconnaissance Office, working on satellite systems used to collect intelligence and support secure communications. She also spent time as a Vice President at IBM, where she helped introduce one of the first uses of AI technology to the intelligence community and allied governments. A graduate of the U.S. Naval Academy, Gallina made history there as the first woman to lead the entire student body, known as the Brigade of Midshipmen. Her honors include the Presidential Rank Award and the CIA's Distinguished Career Intelligence Medal. In November 2025, she joined Lavrock Ventures as a Partner. In August 2026, Juliane joined the board of Accenture Federal Services.
Mark Gerencser
Board Member
Mark J. Gerencser spent 30 years with Booz Allen Hamilton as a recognized strategy and technology expert. He led Booz Allen’s 20,000-consultant Government Business and served as the managing partner of its Global Commercial Business before retiring in 2013. Mr. Gerencser currently serves as the Chairman of the Board of Business Executives for National Security. He also serves on the advisory board to Cambridge University and is on the Board of the Forum Club of Southwest Florida. Mr. Gerencser was nominated by the White House and confirmed by the Senate Armed Services Committee as a member of the National Security Education Board. He served for six years as Chairman of the Board of Visitors for University of Maryland University College, where he received the President’s Medal for leadership in advancing higher education. He also served for more than a decade on the National Security Agency’s Scientific Advisory Board. Consulting Magazine named him one of the Top 25 Most Influential Consultants in the World and ExecutiveBiz named him one of the Top 10 Game Changers in Washington, DC. In 2014, he was inducted into the Wash100, the premier group of leaders recognized for vision, innovation, and achievement for American citizens.
Gerald P. Hamilton
Board Member
Former Senior Intelligence Service Officer with the Directorate of Operations of the Central Intelligence Agency, Gerald Hamilton served with the CIA for 35 years in numerous senior management positions. The majority of Mr. Hamilton’s career was devoted to overseas duty, primarily in Latin America, the Caribbean, Africa, South Asia and Europe. He is a recipient of the Distinguished Career Intelligence Medal, the National Clandestine Service Career Medal, and two Donovan Awards for Exceptional Performance. Mr. Hamilton held assignments at CIA Headquarters at the Office Director and Division Chief level and was appointed by former CIA Director Leon E. Panetta as the first Director of the Employee Resource Center.
General Michael V. Hayden, USAF (Ret.)
Special Advisor
General Michael V. Hayden is the highest-ranking military intelligence officer in the armed forces and served in the United States Air Force. He served as Commander of the Air Intelligence Agency and as the Director of both the National Security Agency and the Central Intelligence Agency. General Hayden is currently a Principal at The Chertoff Group and a Senior Advisor for the Center for Strategic and International Studies. He founded the Hayden Center for Intelligence, Policy, and National Security at George Mason University where he is a visiting professor. General Hayden chairs the Bipartisan Policy Center’s Electric Grid Cyber Security Initiative and previously served on the Board of Directors of Motorola Solutions.
The Honorable S. Leslie Ireland
Board Member
The Honorable S. Leslie Ireland was confirmed as Assistant Secretary of the Treasury for Intelligence and Analysis on July 10, 2010, following a 25-year career at the Central Intelligence Agency, during which she specialized in Iran, the Middle East, and WMD. At Treasury, Leslie led analysis of the financial vulnerabilities of foreign threats to U.S. national security. She expanded the infrastructure that protects the department’s national security information and established the Treasury’s first Insider Threat Program. While in her role at Treasury, Leslie was appointed by the Director of National Intelligence to serve as the first National Intelligence Manager for Threat Finance, serving as the principal advisor to the DNI on the subject and overseeing the intelligence process related to using financial information to combat a wide range of U.S. national security threats. She also created and chaired the DNI Financial Sector Advisory Board. Prior to joining the Treasury Department, Leslie served as a daily intelligence briefer to the President from 2008 to 2010. She was the first DNI Iran Mission Manager and held a range of other assignments, including executive assistant to Director of Central Intelligence and executive assistant to the Deputy Director of Central Intelligence/Acting Director of Central Intelligence. She was also detailed to the Office of the Secretary of Defense as Country Director for Iran and Kuwait. Leslie retired from federal service in November 2016 after 31 years in the intelligence community. Leslie has received the Alexander Hamilton Award, the highest award given by the Secretary of the Treasury; the Intelligence Community Seal Medallion, awarded by the DNI; the National Intelligence Distinguished Service Medal (2016 and 2008); and the CIA Intelligence Commendation Medal. She serves on the board of Amentum, is an advisor to Enveil, and serves on the boards of advisors of Chubb Cyber Security and Cyber Florida. She previously served on the board of Citi and KnightSwan Acquisition Corporation. She is a Board member of the Stimson Center and previously served on the INSA Board.
Tamar Maltz
Founding Board Member
Tamar Maltz is a graduate of Roosevelt University in Chicago with a degree in education, teaching in the Michigan and Maryland School Systems. Mrs. Maltz has served on the boards of Montefiore Home for the Aged and Friends of the Aaron Garber Library. She was a major stockholder and director of Malrite Communications Group, a national broadcasting firm. Mrs. Maltz has been a long time contributor to basic scientific research in the field of mental illness through the Brain & Behavior Research Foundation and served as a director of that organization. She received the "Trailblazer of the Year" award in 1994 from the Planned Lifetime Assistance Network of Northeast Ohio. Other major philanthropies include the creation of Gallery One at the Cleveland Museum of Art and the renovation of Severance Hall, home of the Cleveland Orchestra. Mrs. Maltz and her husband, Milton, revived the Playhouse in Jupiter, Florida (formerly the Burt Reynolds Dinner Theater), developing it as a traditional regional theater. A new auditorium seating 500 at the Jupiter campus of Florida Atlantic University's Lifelong Learning Center was named after Milton and Tamar in a ceremony at the University on November 8, 2002. Mr. & Mrs. Maltz are major donors in the Bascom Palmer Eye Institute, University of Miami School of Medicine. Bascom Palmer is the nation's #1 eye hospital according to US News & World Report.
H. Keith Melton
Founding Board Member
An historical advisor to the US Intelligence Community, H. Keith Melton owns the world’s most extensive collections of espionage devices, weapons, and equipment. Part of his large collection is on permanent display inside CIA Headquarters and is featured in his book, The Ultimate Spy Book. Additional books include Spycraft: The Secret History of the CIA's SpyTechs, from Communism to Al-Qaeda, The Spy's Guide to Escape and Evasion, The Spy's Guide: Office Espionage, The Official CIA Manual of Trickery and Deception, and three volumes of Spy Sites. He has produced and been featured in more than 40 television documentaries on espionage and served as a consultant to the FX hit show "The Americans."
Vice Admiral Peter Neffenger, USCG (Ret.)
Board Member
Vice Admiral Peter Neffenger was appointed in 2015 to lead the Transportation Security Administration (TSA), a position he held until January 2017. Prior to this he enjoyed a distinguished 34-year career in the US Coast Guard, including serving as the 29th Vice Commandant and as the Deputy National Incident Commander for the 2010 BP Gulf oil spill, the largest and most complex in US history. Business Travel News named him one of the 25 most influential business travel executives of 2016 in recognition of his transformation of the TSA. He is a recognized expert in national security and crisis leadership and serves on several corporate and advisory boards. He holds an MPA from Harvard University; an MA from the US Naval War College; an MA in Business Management from Central Michigan University, and a BA from Baldwin Wallace University. He is a two-time recipient of the Department of Homeland Security’s Distinguished Service Medal and is a Distinguished Senior Fellow at Harvard University’s National Preparedness Leadership Initiative and was previously a Distinguished Fellow at the Atlantic Council.
Nikki Stokes
Board Member
Nikki Stokes is Head of Partnerships at Otro Capital and oversees Investor Relations, Marketing, and Communications. Additionally, she supports Otro’s portfolio companies with their strategic partnerships and external engagement. Prior to joining Otro, Ms. Stokes served as Chief of Staff for Ariel Alternatives, the private equity subsidiary of Ariel Investments. Reporting to the CEO, she led investor relations and partnered with the firm’s leadership on strategic growth. The firm’s first fund closed with $1.45 billion in capital and is one of the largest funds raised by a first-time manager globally. Ms. Stokes started at Ariel Investments as Chief of Staff to the Co-CEO & President, and served as a member of the firm’s Risk Committee. She began her career at the National Basketball Association (NBA) leading partnerships for its minor league, the NBA Gatorade League. In this capacity, she owned relationships with 17 corporate sponsors such as MGM Resorts International and Kia, acquired new business, and negotiated upsells. She was also co-chair of the NBA’s Black employee resource group. Ms. Stokes is a director of the International Spy Museum and PeacePlayers US, and a trustee of Georgetown University’s George F. Baker Scholars. She holds a B.A. in Government from Georgetown University, with a minor in African American Studies. She was named to Forbes’ 30 Under 30 in 2024.
Col. Alphonso Trimble, USMC (Ret.)
Board Member
Colonel Alphonso Trimble retired from a long and distinguished military career in 2020 and is currently serving as the Director, Business Development for BAE Systems of the Intelligence and Security’s Integrated Defense Systems Business Unit to drive strategic growth. He commanded the Marine Corps’ largest logistics base where he led numerous energy security and sustainability projects. He served as the Operations Officer for US Forces Korea and the United Nations Command to help maintain regional security and economic stability. He is a former MiT Seminar XXI International Affairs Fellow, holds an MBA from Boston University; a Certification in Digital Transformation from MIT and is currently serving on the Atlantic Counsel’s Veterans Advanced Energy Project (VAEP) Advisory Committee.
Grant Verstandig
Board Member
Grant Verstandig is the Founder, Chairman, and Chief Executive Officer of Red Cell Partners, an incubation and investment firm that builds, launches, and scales technology-led businesses in healthcare, defense, and cyber from the ground up, providing critical support for their long-term success. Mr. Verstandig is a serial entrepreneur who has co-founded multiple businesses that have gone on to achieve tremendous success including defense-technology companies DEFCON AI and Epirus. In addition, Mr. Verstandig is the co-founder and CEO of Red Cell incubation Trase Systems, an AI agent platform that has repeatedly topped the GAIA leaderboard for general AI assistants, outperforming agents from companies like Meta, Microsoft, and Google. Mr. Verstandig, who holds patents in advanced analytics, technology, and artificial intelligence, is a former senior advisor to the National Security Agency and a member of the Aspen Institute’s Cybersecurity Group, Foreign Ministers Program, and Aspen Digital Program. Mr. Verstandig is a philanthropist and civic leader, supporting various causes through the Verstandig Family Foundation, like VETSⓇ, the National Cryptologic Foundation, and The Opportunity Network. In addition, he is a member of the National Council for American Enterprise and serves on the boards of the Third Option Foundation and the Greater Washington Partnership
Damon Walsh
Board Member
Damon Walsh is a retired US Army Officer with over thirty years of combined military and defense industry experience representing large and small corporations. Mr. Walsh served as an Infantry and Special Forces officer at multiple levels of command and staff and was then selected for duty in the Army Acquisition Corps and served in a wide variety of contract and program management assignments. He is a veteran of Operations Desert Shield/Desert Storm, Provide Comfort-I, Provide Comfort-II, Uphold Democracy (Haiti), and Iraqi Freedom. Retiring from the Army in 2005, Mr. Walsh joined Force Protection Industries ultimately becoming Executive Vice President-Customer Operations. He later served as President of Jet-Hot High-Performance Coatings and in 2012 he accepted a position as President of Synexxus, Inc, a defense contractor specializing in software and electrical engineering services for the defense industry. In 2015 Mr. Walsh co-founded Mission Solutions Group, Inc (MSG) and continues as its Chairman to this date. MSG acquires, integrates, and operates businesses in the Communications and Cyber-Security realms completing 7 transactions since its inception.
Robert Whitfield
Board Member
Robert Whitfield is a veteran national security executive and entrepreneur with more than 28 years of experience across the U.S. military, intelligence community, and private sector. His career has included operations in more than 50 countries supporting the Intelligence Community, Department of War, Department of State, NGOs, and the private sector. Robert spent more than 16 years as the Chief Operating Officer, Chief Growth Officer, and as a board member of Patriot Group International (PGI), a defense and intelligence contractor he co-founded in 2009. During his tenure, he helped grow PGI organically to more than 1,000 employees and over $250 million in annual revenue, supporting intelligence, counterterrorism, security, and special operations missions worldwide. Earlier in his career, Whitfield served in the U.S. Marine Corps as a Scout Sniper and as an instructor at the Marine Corps Scout Sniper Instructor School in Quantico. He has since led intelligence, counterterrorism, stabilization, logistics, and partner-capacity programs in some of the world’s most challenging environments. His work has also included developing intelligence tradecraft and operational training programs adopted by the U.S. intelligence community and US Marine Corps. Today, Robert provides strategic advisory services to national security companies and investors across the government contracting sector and is a wellness industry business owner. He serves on the Boards of Directors of the International Spy Museum and Operator Relief Fund, is an Advisory Board member of the CJ3 Foundation, and mentors veteran entrepreneurs through Oath and Oak.
Tonya Wilkerson
Board Member
Tonya Wilkerson served as the ninth Deputy Director of the National Geospatial-Intelligence Agency (NGA) from November 2021 to November 2024, leading efforts to provide geospatial intelligence (GEOINT) to support US national security. As the Associate Deputy Director of the Central Intelligence Agency (CIA) for Science and Technology, she was responsible for the Directorate of Science and Technology (DS&T) strategy, resources, and talent management. She also led the National Reconnaissance Office (NRO) Mission Operations Directorate, where she managed the satellite operations enterprise. Ms. Wilkerson began her career as a project management engineer leading research and development efforts to identify and mature technologies for integration into NRO systems. A seasoned intelligence executive with over three decades of distinguished service and former CIA intern, Ms. Wilkerson is dedicated to mentoring the next generation of leaders. She holds a Bachelor of Science in Electrical Engineering from Virginia Tech and a Master's in Engineering Management from George Washington University.
Reade Williams
Board Member
Reade Williams has been an avid researcher and collector of intelligence history artifacts and tradecraft tools for more than 45 years. Beginning with subminiature cameras and radios, his private collection has expanded to all categories of equipment and documentation. Mr. Williams practiced law in the areas of corporate transactions (private, regulated, and international), intellectual property licensing, technology, and international trade regulation at two international law firms in Washington, DC before moving in-house in Virginia. He received his B.A. from Washington & Lee University and his J.D. from the University of Virginia School of Law.
Deborah Wituski
Board Member
Dr. Deborah Wituski is the Sheikh Zayed Bin Sultan Al Nahyan Distinguished Professor of Practice at Johns Hopkins School of Advanced and International Studies. She is a seasoned executive with experience leading intelligence analysis and operations in both national security and the private sector. She led the Office of the President and Chief Investment Officer as Vice President of Global Engagement at Google & Alphabet from 2023-2025, and previously served as Vice President for Resilience & Risk Foresight, where she developed and implemented a worldwide program providing critical risk and business resilience analysis. Before joining Google, Dr. Wituski held various senior leadership positions during a 20-year career in the U.S. Intelligence Community, notably as Chief of Staff to the Director of the Central Intelligence Agency, Chief of Staff to the Deputy Director of CIA, and Deputy Assistant Director of CIA for Counterterrorism. Dr. Wituski holds a Ph.D. in Political Science from The Ohio State University and an M.A. and B.A. in Political Science from West Virginia University.
Genell Zuciya
Board Member
Genell Zuciya serves as a Technology Manager in Netflix's Experiences Division, where she oversees the development of Netflix House venues in Philadelphia, Dallas, and Las Vegas. A creative director and systems thinker whose career spans immersive entertainment, museum design, and experiential technology across four continents, Ms. Zuciya previously served as Senior Creative Director at Meow Wolf and Creative Director at Art Processors, contributing to projects like the National Civil Rights Museum. At Walt Disney Imagineering she helped bring to life such attractions as shanghai disneyland, Avatar Flight of Passage and Star Wars: Rise of the Resistance, earning multiple THEA Awards and a U.S. patent for 3D scanning laser display systems. She holds a Master of Science in Biomimicry from Arizona State University and a Bachelor of Science in Film and Video from Drexel University.
Officers
Tamara Christian - President
Julie Bowen - Secretary
Pam Fitzgerald - Treasurer
Former Directors Group
John Avalos
Jeremy Bash
Gov. Jim Blanchard
Tom Becker
Diane Frankel
Tracey Iseler
Mary Kraft
Mary Beth Long
Lisa Martin
Adrian Martinez
Thom Melcher
Jill Singer
Lori Stokes
Matthew Wheelock
Katherine Wood
In Memoriam
Peter Earnest
Board Member
Peter Earnest was the Founding Executive Director (Emeritus) of the International Spy Museum Mr. Earnest's 36-year CIA career included more than 20 years in the Agency's Clandestine Service. A member of the CIA's Senior Intelligence Service, he was awarded the Agency's Intelligence Medal of Merit for “superior performance” throughout his career. Mr. Earnest also served as the Agency's principal spokesman in his final posting, developing and implementing a strategy of greater openness with the media and the public.