Areas of Expertise
Intelligence Operations | Middle East, South Asia and Europe| Counterterrorism | Counterintelligence |Covert Action | Paramilitary Operations
About Mike
Michael F. Walker is a distinguished national security and intelligence leader with a 30-year career at CIA, including working 18 years overseas and tenure as Chief of Station in five countries. He brings deep operational expertise across the Middle East, South Asia, and Europe. Throughout his career, he collaborated closely with the National Security Council, Department of Defense, Department of State, NSA, and FBI on sensitive intelligence issues. Alongside his role at The Chertoff Group, he teaches as an adjunct professor at Georgetown University.
Career Highlights
- In addition to serving overseas for many years, he held three Senior Intelligence Service positions at CIA headquarters:
- As Chief of the Near East and South Asia Division, CIA’s formerly largest division, directed all CIA clandestine intelligence operations across the Middle East and South Asia, including wartime operations in Iraq and Afghanistan and White House-mandated covert action programs
- As Deputy Chief of the Special Activities Division, helped lead CIA’s worldwide paramilitary operations
- Directed counterterrorist operations as Chief of Operations in the CIA Counterterrorist Center
- Before joining CIA, served as a Marine Corps infantry officer and as a Peace Corps volunteer managing a fisheries project in India.
Education
M.A., International Affairs (Asian Studies), Ohio University | B.S., Zoology, Ohio State University