Event Archive


Missed our Event?

The ICCAE is not able to record all of our events, but some can be found here.

Fall 2021 Events

ICCAE Welcome Event: Human Trafficking in Intelligence

Wednesday, September 1st at 4 PM: KU Memorial Union, Ballroom

Guest Speakers:  Nathan Kim, FBI Special Agent

Jennifer Montgomery, Director, Human Trafficking Advisor Board in the Office of the Kansas Attorney General.

Special Agent Kim and Director Montgomery will discuss Human Trafficking in Kansas and the role of both agencies in this process.


Careers in the FBI

Thursday, September 30th at 4 PM: Location TBA

Guest Speaker: Karen Smilgis, FBI Agent & Applications Coordinator, Kansas City Division

Karen has been an FBI Agent for 15 years.  Her background is in biochemistry, and since joining the Bureau she has worked counterterrorism, gangs, and public corruption.  She is a member f the Evidence Response Team and Hazardous Evidence Response Team. 


Careers in the CIA

Wednesday, October 13th at 4 PM: Location TBA

Kirsten M. Krawczyk is the Distinguished Chair for National Intelligence Studies at the U.S. Army Command and General Staff College at Fort Leavenworth, Kansas. Kirsten will discuss careers in the CIA and her personal experiences in the agency. 


Careers in the CIA/CIA Simulation

Wednesday, October 27th at 2 PM: Location TBA

CIA recruiters will provide information regarding the CIA and the variety of career and internship opportunities available. Speakers will review writing and presentation techniques for intelligence community resumes.  In addition, CIA officers will demonstrate a CIA simulation.


The National Ground Intelligence Center: Introduction to the Agency and Career Opportunities

Tuesday, November 9th at 4 PM: Location TBA

Guest Speaker: Robert Burdeaux, Chief, C4 Systems & Networks Branch, National Ground Intelligence Center

Robert is a recruiter for the National Ground Intelligence Center. He will discuss the organization’s history, employment opportunities and requirements for working in the agency.


Spring 2021 Events

National Security Council:  A Look Back & A Look Forward, by COL Dimmick, Director for Russia and East Europe for the National Security Council at the White House

Wednesday, February 10th at 5 PM CTS via Zoom, link provided in email 

COL Dimmick will discuss the evolution of the NSC, its operations, and where it may be headed. COL Dimmick advises the President of the United States on all national security and foreign relation matters regarding Russia, Ukraine, Belarus, Moldova, Georgia, Armenia, and Azerbaijan. He is a former Russia Country Director for the Office of the Secretary of Defense and a former Senior Defense Official for the DIA.  He is a United States Military Academy West Point Graduate, and holds a MS in National Resource Strategy from Dwight D. Eisenhower School for National Security and Resource Strategy and a MA from KU in Russian and Eastern European Studies.


IC Reform: Challenges of the Biden Administration, by Zachery Tyson Brown from War on the Rocks

Monday, February 22nd at 11 AM CTS via Zoom, link provided in email 

Zachery Tyson Brown is a strategic futurist working at the intersection of disruptive technology, organizational design, and national security. A United States Army veteran who served in Iraq and Afghanistan, Zach is now a Security Fellow at the Truman National Security Project, proclaimed U.S. Army Futures Command “Mad Scientist,” and a Military Writers Guild Board Member.


Regional Computer Forensics Lab (RCFL) Presentation, by Sarah Lucas, Supervisor Special Agent, FBI 

Thursday, March 25th at 2 PM CTS via Zoom, link provided in email 

Sarah Lucas is a Supervisory Special Agent with the Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI). She is currently serving the Kansas City Division as the Director of the Heart of America Digital Computer Forensics Laboratory (HARCFL). SSA Lucas began her career in law enforcement as a police officer and detective in Overland Park, Kansas. Upon joining the FBI, SSA Lucas has served the Atlanta, Washington Field, Headquarters, and Kansas City Divisions working intellectual property rights, cyber criminal intrusion, high-tech and international violent crimes against children violations, and currently in her current role in managing the digital forensics laboratory. 


Real Life in the IC: Work & Life Balance, by Darlene Almont

Thursday, April 8th at 1 PM CTS via Zoom, link provided in email 

Darlene Almont is a 30 year military officer and senior intelligence officer career (analysis, military capabilities, combat intelligence, human intelligence collector); Assistant Professor, DNI/DoD National Intelligence University, with research specializing in big data analysis to forecast and analyze large-scale societal violence; she is a Senior reviewer & editor on Terrorism, Societal Violence Analysis, Threat & Combat Intelligence Analysis, Middle East, Indications & Warning, Air/Air Defense Threat & Tactics; big data analysis & database development. She is a DNI Exceptional Analyst Research Fellow, and a CIA/DoD tested 4+ level French speaker.


Preparing for a Security Clearance in the IC, by Carl Taylor, Director KU’s Office of Global Operations & Security

Tuesday, April 27th at 2 PM CTS via Zoom, link provided in email 

Will you need a security clearance in your career? Join us for a presentation on how to prepare yourself for the security clearance process.  Carl is the current director of KU’s Office of Global Operations & Security and is a former FBI Intelligence Officer.

Request to be on our email distribution list! iccae@ku.edu


Fall 2020

Future Warfare Trends in the IC by Colonel Robert Wagner, Deputy G2, Fort Leavenworth Training and Doctrine Command

Friday, November 20th at 10 AM- Virtual Zoom presentation, link will be provided in email invite to students

COL Wagner, a career intelligence officer, will discuss the implications of future warfare trends for the IC, the operational environment and how it applies to the Joint services.   

Biography

Colonel Rob Wagner was assigned as the Deputy G2-Intelligence for the U.S. Army’s Training and Doctrine Command (TRADOC) in Fort Leavenworth, Kansas in June 2019. He began his military career by enlisting in the United States Army Reserves in July 1990 as a Hospital Food Service Specialist, and simultaneously enrolling in the Reserve Officer Training Corps (ROTC) at the University of Texas at Arlington (UTA), where he was a Distinguished Military Graduate in 1995. He was commissioned as a second lieutenant branch detail Infantry – Military Intelligence Officer

Colonel Wagner has served in a variety of command and leadership positions over his 30 year career ranging from tactical to strategic, including several Joint and multinational assignments. His previous assignments include 3rd Infantry Division, 4th Infantry Division, Intelligence and Securities Command (INSCOM), NATO, U.S. Army Recruiting Command (USAREC), and USAFRICOM. Colonel Wagner has combat tours in Iraq and Afghanistan.

Colonel Wagner is a graduate of several military and government schools to include the Federal Bureau of Investigation National Academy and the College of Naval Command and Staff. He holds a dual Bachelor of Business Administration in Management and Marketing from UTA, a Graduate Certificate in Criminal Justice Education from the University of Virginia, and Masters of Arts in National Security and Strategic Studies from the Naval War College.

Colonel Wagner’s military awards and decorations include the Bronze Star; three awards of the Defense Meritorious Service Medal; four awards of the Meritorious Service Medal; the Expert Infantry Badge; the Parachutist Badge; and the Ranger Tab.


USAID Presentation by Stephanie Chetraru, Faculty, Fort Leavenworth Command and General Staff College 

Thursday, September 24th at 3 PM- Virtual Zoom presentation, link will be provided in email invite

Stephanie will discuss the USAID mission; the smart power impact of our International Affairs budget; and careers in the USAID. 


State Department Presentation: The Bureau of Intelligence and Research by Stuart Doner 

Wednesday, October 7th at 12 PM CTS- Virtual Zoom presentation, link will be provided in email invite

A state department introduction will be provided by Irina Karmanova.  Stuart Doner will present an overview of INR, their mission, how they integrate their mission with other intelligence agencies that operate in the same geographic areas, how they share intelligence, and information on career opportunities.

Speaker Bios: 

Stuart Doner majored in political science and graduated from the University of Kansas in 1990, and he completed a Master's in Arab Studies at Georgetown University in 1992. He has more than 22 years of experience at the U.S. Department of State, including the Operations Center, Bureau of Near Eastern Affairs, and the Bureau of Intelligence and Research (INR).  Within INR, Stuart's experience includes more than 7 years in the Office of Near Eastern and South Asian Affairs, 5 years in the Office of Intelligence Operations, and 6 years in the Office of Cyber Affairs.  He and his wife are the proud "parents" of a floppy-eared mutt, and he is an avid fan of KU basketball.

Irina Karmanova is a Public Affairs Officer in the Bureau of Global Public Affairs at the U.S. Department of State. Her office strives to maintain an ongoing dialogue with the American public about the important value of diplomacy and its tangible impact on American lives through a variety of outreach activities that advance foreign affairs work at home and abroad. Irina is a recipient of three Meritorious Honor Awards and is a graduate of the Executive Leadership Program. Irina’s previous Department of State experience includes the Office of Nordic and Baltic Affairs in the Bureau of European and Eurasian Affairs; the Office of Press and Public Diplomacy in the Bureau of South and Central Asian Affairs; the Secretary’s Office of Global Women’s Issues; and the Office of International Visitors in the Bureau of Educational and Cultural Affairs. Irina’s international experience includes assignments in the Public Affairs Sections of the U.S. Embassies in Kyiv, Ukraine; Canberra, Australia; Buenos Aires, Argentina; and the U.S. Consulate in Kolkata, India. Irina holds a Bachelor’s degree in International Affairs and Russian Language and Literature, and a Master’s degree in Global Communication, from the George Washington University in Washington, DC -- where she currently works as a part-time faculty instructor leading a Master's Global Capstone course on U.S. foreign policy and global interests. In her spare time, Irina enjoys travel, hiking, arts and crafts, and attending cultural events. 


National Geospatial Intelligence Agency (NGA) Presentation: Geospatial Intelligence by Ralph Erwin

Tuesday, October 20th at 12 PM - Virtual Zoom presentation, link will be provided in email invite

Ralph Erwin will provide a brief on NGA’s various responsibilities, from collaborating with the 15 other agencies that make up the U.S. intelligence community, to providing geospatial intelligence for national security as well as information about NGA careers.

Erwin is the Senior Geospatial Intelligence Officer assigned by the Army NGA Support Team to be the NGA Liaison to the U.S. Army Training and Doctrine Command and the Combined Arms Center at Fort Leavenworth, Kansas. He is a Director of National Intelligence designated Intelligence Community Officer and served as a Senior Mentor to the Afghan Geodesy and Cartography Head Office in 2011.


"Sounds good!": Unpacking the Hidden Decision-Making Biases that Hurt Team Outcomes by Dr. Cameron Piercy, KU Department of Communication Studies

Thursday, September 10th - Zoom presentation at 2 PM

Description: The problem with bias is that everyone else has it, and we don’t (right?). In this session, we'll identify and explore common cognitive biases that plague team and organizational decision making processes. Biases covered will include: confirmation bias, the fundamental attribution error, bias blind spot, the Abilene paradox, and the rewards folly. 

iPad users can download the serious game developed for DoD intelligence agents here.


Spring 2020

Intelligence Oversight with Former CIA Officer Ron Marks

Date: Wednesday, April 15th, 2020  

Location: Virtual Event   

Time: 10:00 A.M.

A zoom link will be provided to students. If you wish to attend and did not receive the zoom link, please contact ashleylu@ku.edu.


Covert Action with Former CIA Officer Ron Marks (Via Zoom)

Date: Thursday, April 9th, 2020  

Location: Virtual Event   

Time: 10:00 A.M.


Open Source Research by Tom Wilhelm and Ray Finch (Via Zoom)

KU Russian, East European and Eurasian Studies lecturer and former Eurasian Foreign Area Officer Ray Finch will discuss Open Source Research.

Date: Monday, April 6th, 2020  

Location: Virtual Event

Time: 3:00 P.M.


ICCAE Reception/How to Prepare for a Security Clearance (Live event canceled)

Join us for a brief ICCAE welcome reception and a presentation about preparing to pass a security clearance.

Date: Thursday, March 26th, 2020

Location: Alderson Room, Kansas Union

Time: 3-5 PM


Iran/Saudi Relations Lecture (Live event canceled)

A member of the Intelligence Community will be on campus to discuss the current situation in this region. Due to the sensitivity of this lecture and the nature of the speaker, you must be a US Citizen to attend.   

Date: Wednesday, March 25th, 2020 

Location: Jawhawk Room, Kansas Union

Time: 3:00 P.M.


The Dole Institute: Spying in the Cyber Age

We are partnering with the Dole Institute to provide students with the opportunity to attend a series of lectures by former Intelligence Officer Ron Marks.

Date: March- 18th, 25th, April- 1st, 8th

Location: The Dole Institute

Time: Wednesday's at 4:00 PM


US Army Intelligence: Supporting Warfighters in Eurasia

COL James Chastain, Strategic Intelligence Officer from the Defense Intelligence Agency (DIA) will discuss his work at the DIA and how his team supports policy makers in Washington, DC. COL Chastain will also provide a brief on the current Eurasia operational environment.

DeAngela Burns-Wallac: Secretary of the Kansas Department of Administration

Dr. Burns-Wallace will discuss her service to Kansas and the US in her previous role as a Foreign Service Officer for the Department of the State.

Please view her biography here.


Fall 2019

Kansas Intelligence Fusion Center: September 12 at 1 pm- Kansas Union Crossroads Room

Join us for a presentation about the role of the Kansas Intelligence Fusion Center (KIFC). Established in 2009, KIFC’s mission is to generate intelligence analysis critical for homeland security policy and relevant threat warning in order to protect life, liberty, and property in Kansas and the Great Plains region. Free & open to the public.


Hot Topics in Intelligence: Preparing for a Security Clearance

Matthew Battiston, KU Office of Global Operations & Security 


How Does a Chap From Kansas End Up Working For the CIA? 

Fred Geiger, CIA Military Analyst (Ret.) on

Hot Topics in Intelligence: Counterterrorism and Domestic Terrorism

Carl Taylor, Director of the KU Office of Global Operations & Security 


CIA Careers Presentation and Simulation

CIA representatives will provide information regarding the CIA and the variety of career and internship opportunities available. Speakers will review writing and presentation techniques for intelligence community resumes.


Intelligence Careers Q&A with Former FBI Officer Tom Crawford

Ambassador Katherine Canavan

Katherine Canavan, Retired Diplomatic and Consular Officer and Distinguished Visiting Professor of Diplomacy for the U.S. Army Command and Staff College

Spring 2019

2019 Security Conference: April 22-23

Cyber Attacks, Intellectual Property, & University Open Research: The Perfect Storm


An Evening with David E. Sanger

NYTimes National Security Correspondent

“War, Sabotage, & Fear in the Cyber Age”

Monday, April 22

Dole Institute of Politics

Three-time Pulitzer Prize winner and National Security Correspondent for the New York Times, David E. Sanger is one of the nation’s most lucid analysts of geopolitics, globalization, and cyber power. His new book, The Perfect Weapon: War, Sabotage, and Fear in the Cyber Age, is an incisive look into how cyberwarfare is influencing elections, threatening national security, and bringing us to the brink of global war. Part of the ICCAE Security Conference, “Cyber Attacks, Intellectual Property, & University Open Research: The Perfect Storm” April 22-23. Sponsored by the Kansas Consortium-ICCAE, KU Graduate Military Programs, KU School of Law, KU Madison & Lila Self Graduate Fellowship, KU Center for Military, War, & Society Studies, KU Dept. of Political Science, Dole Institute of Politics, and the Command & General Staff College Foundation of Ft. Leavenworth.


CIA and Military Operations: The DOD/CIA Post-Cold War Relationship

Thursday, April 18

Speaker: David P. Oakley, College of International Security Affairs, National Defense University

Since 9/11, the CIA and Dept. of Defense have operated together in Afghanistan, Iraq, and counterterrorism operations. Although the Global War on Terrorism gave the DIA and DoD a common purpose, it was actions taken in the late 1980s and early 1990s that set the foundation for their current relationship. Author David Oakley will explore this relationship, how war and counterterrorism has influenced policymakers, and the future of intelligence and military operations.


The New Cold War with Russia

Thursday, April 11

Speaker: Fred Geiger, CIA Military Analyst (Ret.)

Russia’s attack on Crimea and support for Donbas separatists in 2014 was the key trigger for the West to recognize renewed conflict. Its 2015 intervention in Syria was a subsequent shock that made clear the country is again an international player. However, the New Cold War’s origins were at least a decade in the making. Fred Geiger, CIA Military Analyst (Ret.), will outline similarities and differences between the past and present Cold Wars with Russia.


2018 Events

U.S. Ambassador Eunice Reddick: Lunch & Learn

Wednesday, December 5

The campus community is invited to a lunch & learn conversation with Ambassador Eunice S. Reddick (Ret.). An accomplished diplomat, AMB Reddick has extensive experience shaping U.S. policy on Africa and Asia. Her many accomplishments include developing strategies to increase economic growth in Niger, supporting Gabon’s constitutional transition following the death of their long-serving president, and increasing the capacity of Sao Tome & Principe’s navies to confront piracy and other illegal activity in the Gulf of Guinea.


CIA Simulations at KU

Thursday, November 15

9:00-10:30 AM Directorate of Analysis (DA) Simulation

11:00 AM – 12:30 PM Directorate of Operations (DO) Simulation

The Central Intelligence Agency invites students who are interested in a career as an intelligence professional to participate in analytical and operational simulation exercises on the KU campus. This exercise is tailored for students who want to learn how they can apply their backgrounds and problem solving skills to national security issues. During the exercise, students will play the role of CIA intelligence analysts assigned to a team. CIA intelligence analysts gather information from a wide variety of sources to develop objective, meaningful, and usable intelligence assessments. During the simulation, you and your teammates will be charged with investigating a potential emerging problem that demands critical thinking skills and sophisticated analysis, and your team will provide a detailed and convincing report of your findings.


CIA Information Session with the KU Career Center

Wednesday, November 14

The Central Intelligence Agency's primary mission is to collect, evaluate, and disseminate foreign intelligence information to assist the President and senior US Government policymakers in making decisions related to national security. CIA carefully selects well-qualified people in nearly all fields of study. Science, engineering, economics, foreign languages, mathematics and computer specialist are but a few of the professionals continually in demand. Applicants can view all positions available on the website and must apply online to be considered for a position. Applicants must have US citizenship and the ability to successfully complete medical examinations and security procedures including a polygraph interview. All positions are located in the Northern Virginia area.


CIA Office Hours

Thursday, November 15

Representatives from the CIA Directorate of Analysis, Directorate of Operations, and Directorate of Digital Innovation will host office hours for one-on-one conversations with students. To sign up for an office hour, email lvonholt@ku.edu.


An Overview of the Central Intelligence Agency

Thursday, October 25

Kevin Rousseau, Chair of National Intelligence Studies at the U.S. Army Command & General Staff College at Ft. Leavenworth will address the history, current organization, and missions of the CIA. For more information,


Africa Experiences of a Defense Intelligence Officer

Wednesday, October 17

Roderick Jackson, Chair of Defense Intelligence Studies at the U.S. Army Command & General Staff College, Ft. Leavenworth, will discuss his prior work in Africa. 


Can Geography Be Physical, Human, and Intelligence?

Thursday, October 4

Ralph Erwin is the Senior Geospatial Intelligence Officer assigned by the Army National Geospatial-Intelligence Agency Support Team to be the NGA Liaison to the U.S. Army Training and Doctrine Command (TRADOC) and the Combined Arms Center (CAC) at Fort Leavenworth. Free and open to the public.


Wildlife Trafficking & Illicit Networks: Following Illegal Trade with Open-Source Geo-Analysis

Thursday, September 20

Wildlife poaching is a constant threat to endangered animal populations, and illegal sales of items such as elephant ivory and rhinoceros horn funds up to 40 percent of terrorist activity in some parts of the world. This talk will discuss how the U.S. Intelligence Community and NGOs partner to address wildlife trafficking by using Geospatial-Analysis to illuminate illegal trade patterns and their potential convergence with other forms of illicit networks. Dr. Odean Serrano is Director of Geo-Analytics at Chengeta Wildlife and the former Intelligence Community Lead for Environmental Geography at the National Geospatial-Intelligence Agency.


Crime-Terror Intersections and Intelligence-Led Responses

Conference webpage

April 19, 2018
9am – 4pm
Big 12 Room, Kansas Union
The University of Kansas
Lawrence, KS

The annual security conference brings together scholars and practitioners to explore the intersections of organized crime and terrorism and government responses to the crime-terror nexus. It will feature an award-winning investigative journalist, Dana Priest, as a keynote speaker. The morning panel will showcase path-breaking research on the changing nature and types of terrorist-criminal connections and the new challenges they pose to the governments’ efforts to fight organized crime and terrorism. The afternoon panel will illuminate ways in which the U.S. government and intelligence community have tackled the complex issue of the terrorist-criminal intersections.


Africa Experiences of a Defense Intelligence Officer

Wednesday, October 17, 2018

Roderic Jackson, Chair of Defense Intelligence Studies at the U.S. Army Command & General Staff College, Ft. Leavenworth, discusses his prior work in Africa.


Wildlife Trafficking & Illicit Networks: Following Illegal Trade with Open-Source Geo-Analysis

Thursday, September 20, 2018

Odean Serrano,Director of Geo-Analytics at Chengeta Wildlife and the former Intelligence Community Lead for Environmental Geography at the National Geospatial-Intelligence Agency, discusses the use of GIS mapping to track poaching of endangered wildlife. Illegal sales of items such as elephant ivory and rhinoceros horn funds up to 40 percent of terrorist activity in some parts of the world.