The Intelligence and National Security Alliance (INSA) has announced that The Honorable Susan M. Gordon, former Principal Deputy Director of National Intelligence (PDDNI), will serve as a senior intelligence advisor to the organization. A recognized leader with extensive national security experience, Ms. Gordon will provide advice and counsel to INSA leadership on policy initiatives and strategic engagement with the Intelligence Community.
“Sue is a pioneer in our community, and we are delighted to welcome her to our leadership team,” says INSA Chairman Tish Long. “Her more than three decades of public service were marked by a deep commitment to partnerships, innovation, and most importantly, the workforce. These are cornerstones of INSA’s mission, and her leadership will be extremely valuable to the organization and the broader community.”
Ms. Gordon served as PDDNI from 2017-2019. Serving as the country’s second highest intelligence official, she led the effort to better integrate the Intelligence Community, innovate to meet new challenges and opportunities, expand outreach and public-private partnerships, drive innovation, and advance diversity and inclusion.
From 2015-2017, she served as Deputy Director of the National Geospatial-Intelligence Agency (NGA), where she drove NGA’s transformation to meet the challenges of a 21st century intelligence agency. She also championed agile governance, recruitment and retention of a diverse workforce, and expansion of geospatial intelligence services to the open marketplace.
Prior to her assignment with NGA, Ms. Gordon served for 27 years at the Central Intelligence Agency (CIA), rising to senior executive positions in each of the Agency’s then-four directorates: operations, analysis, science and technology, and support.
Ms. Gordon currently is pursuing her continued interest in strategy, technology, security, and leadership. She is building a portfolio of activities including serving on the advisory boards of Pallas Advisors and DRK Foundation; as a senior fellow at the Georgetown University Center for Security and Emerging Technology and Harvard’s Belfer Center; and consulting with Microsoft Corporation and other organizations.
Ms. Gordon has been recognized for her creative executive leadership through numerous awards, including the Distinguished Intelligence Medal and Presidential Rank Award at the distinguished level. She holds a Bachelor of Science degree in zoology from Duke University, where she was the multi-year captain of the women’s basketball team.
