INSA recognized its eighth class of Achievement Award recipients on Thursday, February 22, 2018, at the United States Institute of Peace. More than 220 INSA members and guests helped recognize seven recipients for exceptional leadership, mentorship, and outstanding contributions to U.S. intelligence, national security, or homeland security.

PRESS RELEASE (February 20, 2018): INSA Announces 2018 Achievement Award Recipients for Early Outstanding Contributions to U.S. Intelligence and National Security

For the first time, INSA recognized dual recipients of the Edwin H. Land Industry Award.

Prior to the award presentations, Principal Deputy Director of National Intelligence Sue Gordon delivered a keynote address on the importance of leadership. She also shared several career-defining moments from her early years in the Intelligence Community.

“We are facing challenges and a complexity of the world the likes of which I have never seen. It demands a national security community that can provide clarity, truth and insight—and this is not an easy world [in which] to find clarity, truth and insight,” Gordon said.

“Tonight’s awards, what’s so exciting, is they demonstrate the breadth of our community and the depth of our mission; it stretches across government, academia, private sector, military and law enforcement. And the nation needs, we need, the whole of this community to be focused, and determined, and passionate, and innovative, and unrelenting, and yes, human, if we are going to deliver what this moment demands of us.”

All four living award namesakes – Joan A. Dempsey, Richard J. Kerr, retired U.S. Navy Admiral William O. Studeman, and 91-year-old former U.S. Senator John Warner – were on hand to personally present their awards. INSA President Chuck Alsup and Jill Bruning, chair of INSA's Intelligence Champions Council, presented the Edwin H. Land and Sidney D. Drell awards, respectively.  

VIDEO: 2018 INSA Achievement Awards 

2018 Recipients (as pictured, L-R)

• Patrick T. Biltgen, Ph.D., Director of Analytics, Vencore (Edwin H. Land Industry Award)
• Lt. Adrienne Walsh, New York City Fire Department (John W. Warner Homeland Security Award)
• LT Rachel O. Carter, USN, U.S. Special Operations Command (William O. Studeman Military Award)
• Alison Lawlor Russell, Ph.D, Assistant Professor of Political Science and International Relations, Merrimack College (Sidney D. Drell Academic Award)
• Don Parlett, Intelligence Analyst, Defense Intelligence Agency (Richard J. Kerr Government Award)
• David Lindenbaum, Principal Engineer, In-Q-Tel CosmiQ Works (Edwin H. Land Industry Award)
• SMSgt Timothy Favreau, USAF, Operations Superintendent, National Reconnaissance Office (Joan A. Dempsey Mentorship Award)