The CI-Press Podcast

CI Press, Episode 122: The Counterintelligence Referent Explained with David Stanley

Join Ryan Rambo and Jeremy Clark as they sit down with David Stanley to explore his unexpected path into the world of counterintelligence. David shares how his career developed by accident, explains the critical role of the counterintelligence referent in protecting human operations, and breaks down the key motivations that drive espionage—including money, ego, and ideology. The conversation highlights why integrity, sound judgment, and practical tradecraft remain essential skills for anyone working in the field. The discussion also examines persistent challenges in counterintelligence, including unclear ownership, training gaps, and the need for well-structured teams that combine referents, collectors, and targeters or analysts. Looking ahead, David offers insights into how artificial intelligence, evolving workplace behaviors, and modern threat environments are reshaping the future of counterintelligence and the professionals tasked with defending against insider and external threats.

CI Press, Episode 121: From the Field to the Boardroom, Tom Chandler on Military CI and Corporate Security

Join hosts M. Scott Sparks and Joseph Sheridan as they sit down with Tom Chandler, a seasoned intelligence professional who made the leap from military counterintelligence (CI) to architecting corporate CI and insider-threat programs from the ground up. Tom pulls back the curtain on what it takes to protect an organization from threats that often go undetected until it's too late. In this episode, Tom shares hard-won lessons on diversifying your risk tool portfolio, rigorously vetting supply-chain partners, and building a culture where employees feel empowered, not intimidated, to report suspicious activity to security professionals. He also makes the case for why education and travel briefings aren't just HR checkboxes, but frontline defenses in today's threat landscape. Whether you're a security practitioner, a business leader, or simply curious about the invisible architecture keeping organizations safe, this conversation delivers practical, actionable intelligence straight from someone who's lived it on both sides of the fence.

CI Press, Episode 120: Cold War Shadows, Counterintelligence Lessons from Vietnam to West Berlin with COL(R) Stuart Herrington

Join hosts M. Scott Sparks and Jeremy J. Clark for a deep dive into the shadow world of espionage, influence operations, and counterintelligence as they sit down with COL(R) Stuart Herrington. Drawing from decades of firsthand experience spanning the Vietnam War through the height of the Cold War, Herrington offers a rare insider’s perspective on the evolving threats posed by foreign intelligence services and the enduring importance of protecting national security from within. In this compelling conversation, Herrington reflects on lessons learned from the controversial Phoenix Program during Vietnam, detailing how intelligence operations shaped battlefield strategy and exposed the complexities of identifying enemy networks. He also recounts his role in Operation Lake Terrace, a high-stakes Cold War mission in West Berlin that revealed the sophisticated tactics used by hostile intelligence agencies to penetrate Western defenses. The discussion then turns to one of the most damaging espionage investigations of the Cold War: the long-running Clyde Conrad espionage investigation in West Germany. Harrington explains how insider threats, personal vulnerabilities, and targeted recruitment efforts enabled adversaries to compromise sensitive NATO information over many years. Through these stories, he illustrates how intelligence services exploit human weaknesses, organizational blind spots, and complacency to gain strategic advantages. Blending historical analysis with firsthand operational insight, this episode explores the enduring challenges of counterintelligence in an age of evolving geopolitical competition. Listeners will gain a greater understanding of how influence operations are conducted, why espionage remains a persistent threat, and why strong counterintelligence capabilities are more essential today than ever before.

CI Press, Episode 119: USMC CI/HUMINT Panel Discussion: Marines on Elicitation, AI, and Fieldcraft

Former U.S. Marine Corps Counterintelligence and HUMINT professionals Mike Houle, Damon Mathews, Nick Vidulich, and Dan Williams join CI Press for a candid roundtable on the evolving state of CI/HUMINT operations. The panel discusses training gaps, elicitation techniques, and the challenge of maintaining perishable skills in an era with fewer overseas deployments and limited real-world collection opportunities. The conversation explores the balance between the art and science of counterintelligence, cultural awareness, and practical ways collectors can sharpen their tradecraft at home. The group also tackles modern challenges including social media, AI, resource constraints, and authority limitations offering practical insights for collectors, security professionals, and corporate partners on recognizing, reporting, and responding to emerging threats.

CI Press, Episode 118: Universities as Battlegrounds, Unmasking Foreign Influence in Research with Mike Shannon

Join hosts Joe Sheridan and Jeremy Clark for an in-depth conversation with former intelligence and National Institute of Health (NIH) official Mike Shannon as they examine the growing challenges facing America’s research enterprise. Drawing on decades of experience in national security and federal oversight, Shannon explains how foreign influence operations, overseas talent recruitment programs, undisclosed financial relationships, and underreported gifts to universities can create vulnerabilities within U.S. research institutions and federally funded science programs. The discussion explores the intersection of academic openness and national security, including how adversarial governments seek access to cutting-edge biomedical and technological research through partnerships, grants, and talent initiatives. Shannon shares insights from his time investigating research security concerns tied to the NIH and discusses the difficulties universities, scientists, and government agencies face when balancing international collaboration with the need to protect sensitive research and taxpayer-funded innovation. Shannon also discusses the broader implications for public trust in science, federal grant oversight, and institutional accountability. The episode covers real-world examples of compliance failures, the cultural tensions between academia and security professionals, and the evolving role of intelligence and law enforcement agencies in safeguarding American research. Finally, Shannon outlines practical steps universities, policymakers, and researchers can take to strengthen transparency, rebuild trust, and better defend U.S. national and economic interests without undermining scientific progress and global collaboration.