Iron Butterfly

Laura Thomas: Firefly on Recruiting Spies, Exfiltrating Assets, & Dating as a Case Officer (pt 2)

On this very special season of Iron Butterfly Podcast, we’re going inside our first documentary feature film, titled The Power We Hold: Stories from Women Spies. This film features 10 of the most powerful women you’ve never heard of, and this season, we’ll get up close and personal with each of them. Each month, we’ll highlight a different woman, with each episode presented in two parts. In this episode, we sit down with Laura Thomas, a former CIA case officer and national security professional who shares her journey from a small two-stoplight town to life in a major city, where her path into intelligence work began. She reflects on how studying abroad and learning a new language led her to become a case officer, and offers a rare look into the realities of working with assets—including the trust, strategy, and personal risks involved. Through gripping stories, she reveals the lengths she’s gone to build relationships and get close to sources, highlighting the adaptability and resilience required to operate in the world of global intelligence. Follow us on social media to catch us on the road this year as we travel to film festivals across the world. We might be coming to a city near you! * Instagram: @ironbutterflypodcast [https://www.instagram.com/ironbutterflypodcast] * YouTube: @IronButterflyMedia [https://www.youtube.com/@IronButterflyMedia] * Spotify: Iron Butterfly Podcast [https://open.spotify.com/show/52NGKu77ykJxWmwVTPWrpu?si=deb5ef87927e4710] To support The Iron Butterfly Podcast, visit our Patreon:  https://www.patreon.com/IronButterflyPodcast [https://www.patreon.com/IronButterflyPodcast]  To learn more about Iron Butterfly Media, check out our website: https://www.ironbutterflymedia.com/ [https://www.youtube.com/redirect?event=video_description&redir_token=QUFFLUhqbGt2ZlY5RllYM2RJcEpSSzBoZ3FSMF9SLXVXQXxBQ3Jtc0tubTRvUEk2ZXdzdXBxX2k3Y1J3OXB6bm5XQ0RaRUkzX3o5OWdyN1QyVktoVGNFQy0zLXBiQ3BhRUdUNmZOWmhYdDZCaUJZVzhQZXE1N0h0TEhldXh5OVc2UG9LV3ZRSjZTYlJ3UlNBaFBCVGduVzVVWQ&q=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.ironbutterflymedia.com%2F&v=md3vCY56DaA]

Laura Thomas: Firefly on Annie Oakley, Fake IDs, Getting a CIA Pseudonym, & a Fake Cavity Op (pt 1)

On this very special season of Iron Butterfly Podcast, we’re going inside our first documentary feature film, titled The Power We Hold: Stories from Women Spies. This film features 10 of the most powerful women you’ve never heard of, and this season, we’ll get up close and personal with each of them. Each month, we’ll highlight a different woman, with each episode presented in two parts. In this episode, we sit down with Laura Thomas, a former CIA case officer and national security professional who shares her journey from a small two-stoplight town to life in a major city, where her path into intelligence work began. She reflects on how studying abroad and learning a new language led her to become a case officer, and offers a rare look into the realities of working with assets—including the trust, strategy, and personal risks involved. Through gripping stories, she reveals the lengths she’s gone to build relationships and get close to sources, highlighting the adaptability and resilience required to operate in the world of global intelligence. Follow us on social media to catch us on the road this year as we travel to film festivals across the world. We might be coming to a city near you! * Instagram: @ironbutterflypodcast [https://www.instagram.com/ironbutterflypodcast] * YouTube: @IronButterflyMedia [https://www.youtube.com/@IronButterflyMedia] * Spotify: Iron Butterfly Podcast [https://open.spotify.com/show/52NGKu77ykJxWmwVTPWrpu?si=deb5ef87927e4710] To support The Iron Butterfly Podcast, visit our Patreon:  https://www.patreon.com/IronButterflyPodcast [https://www.patreon.com/IronButterflyPodcast]  To learn more about Iron Butterfly Media, check out our website: https://www.ironbutterflymedia.com/ [https://www.youtube.com/redirect?event=video_description&redir_token=QUFFLUhqbGt2ZlY5RllYM2RJcEpSSzBoZ3FSMF9SLXVXQXxBQ3Jtc0tubTRvUEk2ZXdzdXBxX2k3Y1J3OXB6bm5XQ0RaRUkzX3o5OWdyN1QyVktoVGNFQy0zLXBiQ3BhRUdUNmZOWmhYdDZCaUJZVzhQZXE1N0h0TEhldXh5OVc2UG9LV3ZRSjZTYlJ3UlNBaFBCVGduVzVVWQ&q=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.ironbutterflymedia.com%2F&v=md3vCY56DaA]

Karen Gibson: Kumquat on her First Star, Beating Breast Cancer, and the Sergeant at Arms pt. 2

On this very special season of Iron Butterfly Podcast, we’re going inside our first documentary feature film, titled The Power We Hold: Stories from Women Spies. This film features 10 of the most powerful women you’ve never heard of, and this season, we’ll get up close and personal with each of them. Each month, we’ll highlight a different woman, with each episode presented in two parts. In this episode, we sit down with Karen Gibson, a retired United States Army Lieutenant General whose distinguished 33-year career spanned some of the most complex and high-stakes intelligence environments in the world. She held a wide range of joint and operational intelligence roles, ultimately rising to serve as Director of Intelligence (J2) at U.S. Central Command (CENTCOM). Her leadership extended beyond intelligence by later serving in the unique and highly visible role of Sergeant at Arms of the United States Senate. She shares an inside look at the defining moments of her career, offering insight into the challenges of military leadership, intelligence operations, and navigating global conflict zones. At the heart of her story is a deeply personal journey—one that began in rural Montana, where she first imagined a life filled with purpose and adventure. From those early aspirations to the highest levels of military leadership, she reflects on the determination, resilience, and curiosity that shaped her path. Follow us on social media to catch us on the road this year as we travel to film festivals across the world. We might be coming to a city near you! * Instagram: @ironbutterflypodcast [https://www.instagram.com/ironbutterflypodcast] * YouTube: @IronButterflyMedia [https://www.youtube.com/@IronButterflyMedia] * Spotify: Iron Butterfly Podcast [https://open.spotify.com/show/52NGKu77ykJxWmwVTPWrpu?si=deb5ef87927e4710] To support The Iron Butterfly Podcast, visit our Patreon:  https://www.patreon.com/IronButterflyPodcast [https://www.patreon.com/IronButterflyPodcast]  To learn more about Iron Butterfly Media, check out our website: https://www.ironbutterflymedia.com/ [https://www.youtube.com/redirect?event=video_description&redir_token=QUFFLUhqbGt2ZlY5RllYM2RJcEpSSzBoZ3FSMF9SLXVXQXxBQ3Jtc0tubTRvUEk2ZXdzdXBxX2k3Y1J3OXB6bm5XQ0RaRUkzX3o5OWdyN1QyVktoVGNFQy0zLXBiQ3BhRUdUNmZOWmhYdDZCaUJZVzhQZXE1N0h0TEhldXh5OVc2UG9LV3ZRSjZTYlJ3UlNBaFBCVGduVzVVWQ&q=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.ironbutterflymedia.com%2F&v=md3vCY56DaA]

Karen Gibson: Kumquat on a Rugged Upbringing, War Stories, and Tolkien’s Chick with the Sword pt. 1

On this very special season of Iron Butterfly Podcast, we’re going inside our first documentary feature film, titled The Power We Hold: Stories from Women Spies. This film features 10 of the most powerful women you’ve never heard of, and this season, we’ll get up close and personal with each of them. Each month, we’ll highlight a different woman, with each episode presented in two parts. In this episode, we sit down with Karen Gibson, a retired United States Army Lieutenant General whose distinguished 33-year career spanned some of the most complex and high-stakes intelligence environments in the world. She held a wide range of joint and operational intelligence roles, ultimately rising to serve as Director of Intelligence (J2) at U.S. Central Command (CENTCOM). Her leadership extended beyond intelligence by later serving in the unique and highly visible role of Sergeant at Arms of the United States Senate. She shares an inside look at the defining moments of her career, offering insight into the challenges of military leadership, intelligence operations, and navigating global conflict zones. At the heart of her story is a deeply personal journey—one that began in rural Montana, where she first imagined a life filled with purpose and adventure. From those early aspirations to the highest levels of military leadership, she reflects on the determination, resilience, and curiosity that shaped her path. Follow us on social media to catch us on the road this year as we travel to film festivals across the world. We might be coming to a city near you! * Instagram: @ironbutterflypodcast [https://www.instagram.com/ironbutterflypodcast] * YouTube: @IronButterflyMedia [https://www.youtube.com/@IronButterflyMedia] * Spotify: Iron Butterfly Podcast [https://open.spotify.com/show/52NGKu77ykJxWmwVTPWrpu?si=deb5ef87927e4710] To support The Iron Butterfly Podcast, visit our Patreon:  https://www.patreon.com/IronButterflyPodcast [https://www.patreon.com/IronButterflyPodcast]  To learn more about Iron Butterfly Media, check out our website: https://www.ironbutterflymedia.com/ [https://www.youtube.com/redirect?event=video_description&redir_token=QUFFLUhqbGt2ZlY5RllYM2RJcEpSSzBoZ3FSMF9SLXVXQXxBQ3Jtc0tubTRvUEk2ZXdzdXBxX2k3Y1J3OXB6bm5XQ0RaRUkzX3o5OWdyN1QyVktoVGNFQy0zLXBiQ3BhRUdUNmZOWmhYdDZCaUJZVzhQZXE1N0h0TEhldXh5OVc2UG9LV3ZRSjZTYlJ3UlNBaFBCVGduVzVVWQ&q=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.ironbutterflymedia.com%2F&v=md3vCY56DaA]

Tish Long: Mimi on Creating an Intel Agency, as the First Female Director & Being a Step-Mom, pt 2

On this very special season of Iron Butterfly Podcast, we’re going inside our first documentary feature film, titled The Power We Hold: Stories from Women Spies. This film features 10 of the most powerful women you’ve never heard of, and this season, we’ll get up close and personal with each of them. Each month, we’ll highlight a different woman, with each episode presented in two parts. On this episode we’re joined by the incredible Tish Long, whose career reshaped what leadership looks like across the U.S. intelligence community. Tish served as the fifth Director of the National Geospatial-Intelligence Agency (NGA), becoming the first woman ever to lead a major U.S. intelligence agency. In this wide-ranging conversation, she reflects on a career that spanned global operations, organizational leadership, the evolving role of intelligence and contributing to the re-shaping of the institutions that collect and distribute intelligence . The episode offers a thoughtful look at the challenges and opportunities of breaking barriers, building institutions, and leading with vision in one of the most demanding fields of public service. Follow us on social media to catch us on the road this year as we travel to film festivals across the world. We might be coming to a city near you! * Instagram: @ironbutterflypodcast [https://www.instagram.com/ironbutterflypodcast] * YouTube: @IronButterflyMedia [https://www.youtube.com/@IronButterflyMedia] * Spotify: Iron Butterfly Podcast [https://open.spotify.com/show/52NGKu77ykJxWmwVTPWrpu?si=deb5ef87927e4710] To support The Iron Butterfly Podcast, visit our Patreon:  https://www.patreon.com/IronButterflyPodcast [https://www.patreon.com/IronButterflyPodcast]  To learn more about Iron Butterfly Media, check out our website: https://www.ironbutterflymedia.com/ [https://www.youtube.com/redirect?event=video_description&redir_token=QUFFLUhqbGt2ZlY5RllYM2RJcEpSSzBoZ3FSMF9SLXVXQXxBQ3Jtc0tubTRvUEk2ZXdzdXBxX2k3Y1J3OXB6bm5XQ0RaRUkzX3o5OWdyN1QyVktoVGNFQy0zLXBiQ3BhRUdUNmZOWmhYdDZCaUJZVzhQZXE1N0h0TEhldXh5OVc2UG9LV3ZRSjZTYlJ3UlNBaFBCVGduVzVVWQ&q=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.ironbutterflymedia.com%2F&v=md3vCY56DaA]