In the Interest of National Security

In this episode of In the Interest of National Security, we explore the development of OSIC and EMTECH labs within the UVU NSS program, their roles in providing students with practical experience, and the opportunities they create to address real world challenges. The discussion highlights the importance of practical skills, student opportunities and contribution, and preparing the next generation of national security professionals.

Jason Speck, recently retired FBI Supervisory Intelligence Analyst and professor with UVU’s Center for National Security Studies, joins the podcast to discuss his career and experiences in intelligence and counterterrorism. He shares insights from his work around the world, explores how terrorism and national security threats continue to evolve, and offers advice for students interested in careers in intelligence and national security.

Congressman Blake Moore joins Ryan Vogel and Sam Fletcher to talk about what's actually driving national security decisions on Capitol Hill. His central argument: the national debt, not any foreign adversary, is now America's biggest security threat, since interest payments have already outpaced the entire defense budget. Moore also breaks down the bipartisan work behind keeping bases like Hill Air Force Base funded, and what it takes to get defense priorities through a divided Congress.

As Utah Valley University celebrates the 10th anniversary of its National Security Studies program, Professor Jonathan Rudd sits down with the program's founder and director, Professor Ryan Vogel, to reflect on its beginnings, growth, and impact. Ryan shares how an idea inspired by his experience at the Pentagon grew from a single class with four students into one of the country’s largest and most comprehensive national security programs. Their conversation explores key milestones, the importance of experienced faculty and student engagement, the program’s emphasis on practical and experiential learning, and its continuing mission to prepare the next generation of national security professionals.

Our guest for this episode is Ted Jones, Senior Director for National Security and International Programs at the Nuclear Energy Institute in Washington, D.C., the premier policy organization driving the nuclear industry forward. With a background spanning policy, law, and international energy markets, Jones has built a career at the intersection of national security and nuclear strategy.

He holds a bachelor’s degree from Birmingham-Southern College, studied graduate history at the University of Georgia, and received his legal training from Georgetown University Law Center, reflecting a strong foundation in policy, history, and law.

Before his current role, Jones served as Policy Director at the U.S.-India Business Council, where he led a major effort to reform U.S. law and international regulations, helping integrate India into global commercial nuclear trade. Today, he works on nuclear energy exports, including cooperation agreements, export controls, finance, and broader strategic initiatives, while serving as a key liaison across nuclear policy and national security communities.

In this interview, we focus on the strategic role of nuclear exports, how they function as a tool of U.S. influence, and how global competition is shaping the future of nuclear diplomacy.

Listen as Mr. Jones breaks down the evolving landscape of nuclear policy, and where he sees nuclear energy fitting into the future of national security.

Our guest for this episode is Nico Dekens, a veteran practitioner of Open Source Intelligence (OSINT), cyber intelligence, and online investigations with 20+ years in Dutch law enforcement as an all-source intelligence analyst. 

 Now the owner of Dutch OSINT Guy Intelligence Services and Director of Intelligence & Collection Innovation at ShadowDragon, Dekens is widely known in the OSINT community as @Dutch_OsintGuy and as a co-founder of OSINTCurio.us. 

 He has trained thousands of government personnel, helped stand up OSINT units, and is recognized for blending operational experience with hands-on instruction as a SANS Instructor and Lead Author. 

In this interview, we focus on how OSINT is being operationalized, how analysts should think about trust and ethics in anonymous digital environments, and how emerging threats like AI-enabled manipulation are changing verification standards. 

Listen as Mr. Dekens digs into collection innovation and what’s actually changing at the tools-and-methods level and where Dekens thinks OSINT is headed strategically for government and security stakeholders. 

Our guest today is Grant Amacher, a distinguished graduate of Electrical Engineering from the University of Utah. With over 30 years of executive leadership at Intel Corporation, Mr. Amacher brings a wealth of expertise in the advanced semiconductor and chip industry. Before his tenure at Intel, he served as a lead engineer at EDO Corporation (now part of L3 Harris), where he contributed to the design of navigation and communication systems for U.S. military satellites, aircraft, and submarines. As a subject matter expert, Mr. Amacher offers invaluable insights into the potential implications of a Chinese invasion of Taiwan on the global advanced technology industry and its significant impact on U.S. military operations. 

Listen as Mr. Amacher discusses Taiwan’s critical role in global semiconductor manufacturing, the strategic importance of advanced chips to U.S. military systems, and the broader implications of a potential Chinese invasion of Taiwan. How would such a conflict impact U.S. defense capability? What challenges does the U.S. face in building domestic chip production? And how does the race for artificial intelligence intersect with the national security strategy? 

Learn all this, and more, in this episode of In the Interest of National Security. 

Our guest today is Matthew Toussain, a recognized leader in offensive security, penetration testing, and cybersecurity training. Mr. Toussain is the founder of Open Security, a firm dedicated to real-world adversarial testing, red teaming, and advanced security education. As a former U.S. Air Force cyber warfare leader, he has spent over a decade at the cutting edge of cybersecurity, specializing in network exploitation, adversarial tactics, and threat analysis. He is also the creator of Sirius, a tactical cybersecurity vulnerability scanner. Mr. Toussain’s work is widely respected in the industry for its technical depth and practical applicability, bridging the gap between security theory and real-world execution.  

Listen as Mr. Toussain discusses Sirius, pen testing, red teaming, and gives insights into the evolution of cyber threats and emerging trends.

How have cyber threats evolved over time? How does Sirius contribute to future cybersecurity practices?  

 Learn all this and more in this episode of In the Interest of National Security. 

Our guest today is Dr. Rebecca Dudley. Dr. Dudley is an Assistant Professor of Political Science at Brigham Young University, where she teaches courses on civil wars and American foreign policy. She received her PhD in Political Science from Duke University. Her research focuses on conflict resolution and foreign policy, emphasizing the role that third parties play in the dynamics of conflict and conflict resolution.  

Listen as Dr. Dudley discusses the evolving role of conflict mediation, soft power, and foreign policy in an era of hybrid warfare.  

How can external actors shape the outcome of a civil war or international dispute? How do historical resistance movements compare to modern insurgencies? What role does soft power play in mitigating conflicts?  

Learn all this, and more, in this episode of In the Interest of National Security.  

Our guest today is Jacques Sabrie, a Principal at MITRE, a non-profit organization that operates federally funded research and development centers, which power advances in national defense and security. Mr. Sabrie has been instrumental in coordinating efforts with the National Geospatial-Intelligence Agency (NGA), leveraging his extensive experience in systems engineering and global intelligence, surveillance, and reconnaissance (ISR). 

Listen as Mr. Sabrie discusses how technology affects great power competition, how we balance innovation with security concerns, and the skills needed to work in national security and intelligence.  

What role does technology play in this shifting landscape? How do we balance innovation with security concerns, especially when dealing with emerging technologies? What are the key skills that young professionals should develop if they want to work in national security and intelligence?  

Learn all this, and more, in this episode of In the Interest of National Security.