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Toby Harnden is an author, journalist, and winner of the Orwell Prize. His most recent book is First Casualty: The Untold Story of the CIA Mission to Avenge 9/11. A former foreign correspondent for The Sunday Times of London and The Daily Telegraph who has reported from 33 countries, he specializes in terrorism and war. Born in England, Harnden was imprisoned in Zimbabwe, faced prosecution in Britain for protecting confidential sources, and was vindicated by a $23 million public inquiry in Ireland. A dual British and American citizen, he spent a decade as a Royal Navy officer before becoming a journalist. He holds a First-Class degree in Modern History from Corpus Christi College, Oxford. He is the author of Bandit Country: The IRA & South Armagh (1999) and Dead Men Risen: An Epic Story of War and Heroism in Afghanistan (2009). Previously based in London, Belfast, Jerusalem, Baghdad, and Washington D.C., he now lives in Virginia.

David Tyson retired from the CIA’s Clandestine Service in 2020 after a 25-year career.  The majority of his service was overseas; most of his postings and deployments were to Central Asia, the Caucasus region, and South Asia, where he was a Chief of Station twice.  He led/took part in paramilitary and counterterrorist operations in war zones, often working closely with U.S. Special Forces and foreign intelligence services.   David began his intelligence career as a linguist and interpreter, achieving fluency in Russian, Uzbek, Turkmen, Turkish, and Farsi/Dari.   He is a recipient of CIA’s Distinguished Intelligence Cross, the Agency’s equivalent to the Medal of Honor, and the Agency's Distinguished Career Intelligence Medal. Prior to working for the Agency, David served in the U.S. Army, both enlisted and as an officer.  He has a BA in International Relations and Russian Language from West Chester State University and two master’s degrees from Indiana University, one in Central Asian Studies and the other in Russian Studies.  He taught Uzbek and Turkmen languages while at IU and authored several articles and books on language and culture.

R. Scott Spellmeyer '90 is a Managing Director at Tracker Capital Management after retiring from the CIA with nearly 30 years of government service.  As a Paramilitary Operations Officer, he served in multiple senior assignments, including Special Assistant to the President for National Security Affairs and Senior Director for Intelligence Programs at the White House/National Security Council, Chief of CIA’s largest overseas Station, and Chief of Staff to the Deputy Director of Operations.  Prior to joining the CIA, Scott served eight years in the United States Army, including assignments with the 75^th Ranger Regiment.  He earned a BA in History from the Virginia Military Institute and an MS in National Security Strategy from the National Defense University’s National War College.  His awards include the Intelligence Star, Bronze Star, and the Purple Heart.

Colonel Justin W. Sapp, '94 currently serves as the Chief of Staff for the U.S. Military Staff Committee.  His previous assignment was in the Under Secretary of Defense for Intelligence (USD(I)), where he served as Chief of the Sensitive Special Operations Division. In this role, Colonel Sapp was the principal intelligence advisor for Sensitive Special Operations within USD(I) and was responsible for intelligence oversight of Special Operations involving Human Intelligence and Sensitive Activities.  As part of his duties, he frequently updated the Congressional committees on matters related to Sensitive Special Operations.  Prior to serving in USD(I), Colonel Sapp held a variety of command and staff positions with the interagency, the Joint Force, and the Army Special Forces.