In 2022, INSF partnered with ClearanceJobs.com and Avantus Federal on the three-part "Future of the IC Workforce" webinar series focused on Open Source Intelligence, Trust in the IC, and Mission Integration.
NEW! Download the Final 2022 White Paper
Through this year long effort, INSF brought together private and public sector leaders to discuss and analyze key factors affecting the current IC workforce now and in the near future. Findings include:
- OSINT needs to be the intelligence community's "INT" of first resort
- Strong public-private partnership are essential for the U.S. to maintain its edge
- Developing a diverse and data-savvy workforce capable of using advanced technology
- Appropriately balancing transparency and disclosure to increase public trust in the IC
Read INSF's Position Paper: Future of the IC Workforce to learn more!
Episode One:
Open Source...Not the Same Old Conversation
On Monday, May 2, the Intelligence and National Security Foundation (INSF) and ClearanceJobs.com hosted “Open Source…Not the Same Old Conversation,” a virtual discussion on the challenges and opportunities around open source intelligence. Underwritten by Avantus, the webinar, the first of INSF’s three-part “Future of the IC Workforce” multimedia series, featured The Hon. Ellen McCarthy, President of the Truth in Media Cooperative, and Ms. Patrice Tibbs, Chief of Community Open Source at CIA. Mr. Matt Scott, Senior Vice President and Mission Technology Strategist at Avantus, moderated the panel.
About the Speakers
The Honorable Ellen E. McCarthy is Chairwoman and CEO of the Truth in Media Cooperative and Noodle Labs. She also sits on advisory boards for SAP NS2, Fortem Technologies, Exiger and Babel Street providing first hand insights on cyber security, effective leadership, driving innovation, advancing diversity and digital transformation. Ms. Mccarthy has over three decades of national security service in a variety of leadership roles spanning numerous intelligence organizations and disciplines. Most recently appointed Assistant Secretary of State for the Bureau of Intelligence and Research, confirmed by the U.S. Senate, and sworn in on January 17, 2019. In this role she reported to the Secretary of State and led a team that provided intelligence insights and activities to support foreign policy and national security purposes.
Patrice Tibbs joined Open Source Enterprise to serve as a Deputy Chief in August 2021. In this role, she is responsible for promoting the integration of open source efforts across the Intelligence Community (IC) in support of the IC Open Source Functional Manager and the National Open Source Committee Chair. Patrice joined the CIA in 2014 as a mid-career hire. She has a combined 25+ years of IC contractor and Agency staff expertise and has successfully led large teams, projects and contracts. Prior to her transition to the Federal Government, she held Senior Leadership positions as a successful industry IT Director, and Senior Program/Project Manager and SME with large and small companies to include General Dynamics Information Technology (GDIT) and L1 Identity Solutions.
About the Moderator
Matt Scott, an Army intelligence veteran, is the Senior Vice President, Intelligence Division, at Avantus Federal. His expertise includes delivering and scaling emerging technologies and data-driven mission capabilities for the U.S. Intelligence Community. Prior to Avantus, Matt co-founded and led MissionTech Solutions, a provider of multi-domain cloud engineering and development solutions in the IC. He also previously held leadership positions at Booz|Allen|Hamilton and PricewaterhouseCoopers. Matt is a voice for change in how the Intelligence Community leverages technology, open sources, and its workforce. With INSA and INSF, he has led multiple public-private partnership efforts on IC technology, talent, and diversity. In addition to his position on the Board of Trustees, he also serves on the Board of Advisors for the Center for a New American Security.
Episode 2
Trust in the IC
On Tuesday, July 12, the Intelligence and National Security Foundation (INSF) hosted “Trusting the IC,” the second webinar of the three-part, Future of the IC Workforce multimedia campaign. Underwritten by Avantus, the webinar featured Kelli Arena, Chief of Strategic Communications at NSA, Neil Wiley, a former Executive at ODNI with a 38-year-long career in the Intelligence Community, and moderator, Lindy Kyzer, Director of Content at ClearanceJobs.com.
Starting the conversation, Kelli Arena revealed that 64% of Americans believe the IC plays a vital role in our society. One issue that Ms. Arena pointed out was that there is a lot about the IC that the public does not know. It can be hard to break through the information silos people create for themselves, especially on social media. Mr. Wiley also noted that it is a policy decision for the IC to engage with the public and that the Community should think very carefully about when it is appropriate to have a voice in the public environment. The public has the right to know the authorities of the IC and who makes up its institutions. However, there is a difference between transparency and disclosure.
Episode 3
Mission Integration
The Intelligence and National Security Foundation (INSF) hosted “Mission Integration,” the third and final webinar of the three-part, Future of the IC Workforce multimedia campaign on September 6th. Underwritten by Avantus, the webinar featured Nic Adams, SSCI Staffer; Nitin Natarajan, Deputy Director of CISA; and Kristin Wood, CEO of Grist Mill Exchange; and moderator, Lindy Kyzer, Director of Content at ClearanceJobs.com.
Session recording courtesy of series underwriter Avantus
Starting the conversation, DDIR Natarajan outlined that mission integration now must include cyber and physical threats in the same conversation. CISA is in a unique spot to undertake bringing the two worlds together, as their status of not being law enforcement, DoD, or in the IC. Kristin Wood further discussed challenges to mission integration from the private industry viewpoint. She detailed how important it is for industry to understand the gaps and see where industry can support government partners, especially regarding complex mission sets. The conversation then moved to the importance of the Hill as the overarching, unifying element, where industry and government can get educated and tie pieces together to get after the common adversary.
The panelists then spoke on the importance of proper integration in protecting data and sharing information to protect networks. Kristin Wood advocated for continuing the conversation on “what is the national security community” as a way ahead to include untraditional companies and industries, such as battery and chip manufacturers, in the conversation. Each panelist spoke on the challenge the availability of large amounts of data pose, especially in ensuring the speed of collection and dissemination of accurate information reaches decision makers and warfighters at the speed of relevance. Nic Adams elaborated on the important role congressional oversights plays in providing the IC and private sector the right resources and authorizations to stay ahead of the threat.
In conclusion, the panelists sounded off on the importance of advanced analytic tools, but also the methods, safety, and protection of processing the data that feeds the tools. DDIR Natarajan noted that the upcoming generation is technically savvy but must also become cyber savvy. The future of the workforce must understand the importance of data protection and constitute intellectually and experiential diverse personnel to speed up capabilities and create stronger partnerships.
Underwritten by: 
Avantus Federal, a NewSpring Holdings Company, is a mission-focused data, cyber and space services and solutions company. As a mid-market powerhouse with an intentional blend of elite talent, infrastructure and speed to impact, Avantus leads with technical and domain expertise for its Defense, Intelligence, Homeland Security and Federal Civilian customers.
Helping to solve some of the toughest national security problems and government missions, Avantus’ offerings enable services at scale, including cyber technologies and operations, data and software solutions, digital engineering and integration, intelligence analysis and operations, space domain capabilities, transformation and advisory services and more.
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