The CI-Press Podcast

Join hosts Dave Turner and Jeremy Clark for a conversation with Vince Smith, a retired counterintelligence professional whose 42-year career spans the Nebraska National Guard, U.S. Army counterintelligence, and the Department of Homeland Security.

Vince shares firsthand stories from the Gulf War, the evolution of Tactical HUMINT Teams, and the challenges of building insider threat and counterintelligence programs at DHS. He also discusses advising state and local fusion centers on emerging threats, including election security and rare earth mineral espionage.

From mentorship and leadership to bureaucracy and personal sacrifice, this episode offers a candid look inside the realities of a life spent protecting national security.

CI Press, the counterintelligence podcast by IXN Solutions.  Where security, compliance, and counterintelligence converge.

In this episode, Dave Turner and Ryan Rambo sit down with soon-to-be retired SGM TJ Trent to unpack a post-9/11 Army career shaped by multiple deployments and a transition from IT to cybersecurity. TJ brings a grounded perspective on the human side of cyber defense - why relationships with counterintelligence matter, how realistic training builds resilience, and what accountability actually looks like in high-pressure environments.

The conversation also dives into managing mental health and operational stress, along with TJ’s next chapter advising on human performance.

On this episode of CI Press, hosts Jeremy Clark and Joseph Sheridan sit down with retired counterintelligence officer Kathy Gonzalez to break down the 2026 threat landscape - insider threat trends, evolving adversary tactics, and the enduring challenge of Russian “illegals.”

Drawing on more than two decades with the FBI, NSA, and CIA, Kathy brings a practitioner’s perspective to the human side of cyber operations - where trust, access, and behavior matter more than tools alone. She makes the case for standardized counterintelligence training, stronger interagency coordination, and a more unified approach to protecting emerging technologies and U.S. national interests.

Jeremy Clark is joined by Mike Parrott to unpack new intelligence assessments revealing how China and Russia conduct continuous, all-domain irregular warfare. From technology theft and academic exploitation to cognitive operations and proxy sabotage, this episode explores how these efforts aim to erode Western cohesion from within.

The discussion exposes key blind spots in Western counterintelligence and introduces “Counterintelligence Mindset 2.0”—a proposed framework built on anticipation, rapid adaptation, and proactive disruption, while remaining grounded in democratic values. Drawing from Mike’s extensive archive of research papers and data, this AI-generated episode offers a forward-looking look at how intelligence strategies must evolve to meet modern threats.

Hosts Ryan Rambo and Jeremy Clark sit down with Bruce Bailey to unpack his early-2000s push to build and source electric motors in China—and the escalating challenges that came with it. Bailey describes navigating unreliable manufacturing standards, repeated quality control breakdowns, and growing concerns about forced labor within supply chains. He also recounts unsettling experiences with hotel surveillance, pressure to engage in bribery to keep operations moving, and a business partner with ties to the CCP that raised serious ethical and security red flags—factors that ultimately led him to abandon the venture.

Bailey then explains how those firsthand experiences exposed him to the realities of human exploitation and reshaped his life’s direction. He shares the origins of his anti-human trafficking efforts, including founding Safe in the Panhandle and Ruth Lake Farm, where he helps operate a rescue safe house for survivors. The conversation closes with his perspective on prevention, community awareness, and practical ways the public can recognize and respond to signs of trafficking.

Hosts Scott Sparks and Jeremy Clark sit down with veteran counterintelligence officer Larry Knight, exploring the arc of his career across multiple eras of national security. The discussion highlights key cases he worked on and examines how the counterintelligence mission has evolved—from the Cold War, through the focus on counterterrorism, and now back to competition with near-peer adversaries.

Throughout the episode, Knight shares practical insights drawn from his experience, offering listeners a clearer understanding of the profession and its demands. He also provides advice for those interested in pursuing a career in counterintelligence, emphasizing adaptability, critical thinking, and a strong foundation in the fundamentals of the field.

The conversation underscores the importance of learning from past operations while remaining prepared for emerging threats. By reflecting on lessons learned and discussing current challenges, the episode offers valuable perspective on how counterintelligence professionals can stay effective in a rapidly changing global environment.

Hosts Joseph Sheridan and Jeremy Clark open the episode with a focused discussion on Florida’s proposed counterintelligence bill, unpacking what it aims to do and why strong oversight mechanisms are critical. They explore the balance between security and civil liberties, highlighting how policy decisions in this space can have far-reaching consequences for public trust and government accountability.

The conversation then shifts to an in-depth interview with Robert Gummer, whose career spans Army intelligence, the FBI, and leadership of intelligence operations for the NFL before his current role as Deputy Chief at LA Metro. Gummer walks through his professional journey, offering a behind-the-scenes look at how intelligence work evolves across military, federal, and private-sector environments.

Drawing on that experience, Gummer shares practical insights on making sound decisions with incomplete information and building effective analytical teams. He details how he developed the NFL’s global security operations center and explains how transparency, community engagement, and thoughtful data policies play a central role in securing massive events like the World Cup, Super Bowl, and Olympics, as well as complex transit systems.

Hosts Joseph Sheridan and David Turner sit down with veteran counterintelligence professional Robert Ansbach to unpack decades of intelligence tradecraft, Cold War operations, and modern espionage trends in Europe.

The conversation covers a survey of 70 convicted spies, ten modern spy archetypes, notable cases like General Dozier’s kidnapping and the betrayals of Clyde Conrad and James Hall, plus practical lessons, mentorship, and advice for today’s counterintelligence practitioners.

They also explore how evolving technologies, shifting geopolitical alliances, and the rise of hybrid warfare have reshaped the intelligence landscape, forcing agencies to adapt faster than ever before. Ansbach reflects on the enduring human factors behind espionage (motivation, ego, ideology, and vulnerability) while emphasizing the importance of analytical rigor and ethical grounding in counterintelligence work. The episode ultimately bridges past and present, offering listeners a deeper understanding of how historical patterns continue to inform modern threats and the professionals tasked with countering them.

Hosts Joe Sheridan and Jeremy Clark sit down with Karna McGarry, a former Central Intelligence Agency analyst and Office of the Director of National Intelligence attorney who now serves as Senior Vice President, Managed Services at Red5 Security. She shares her journey from government intelligence into the private sector and explains how corporations are increasingly building their own intelligence capabilities to navigate global risk.

The conversation explores the growing importance of Open-Source Intelligence, insider threat detection, and the evolution of corporate risk programs. Karna highlights how companies can move from reactive security to proactive intelligence, while balancing legal, privacy, and ethical considerations that differ from government work.

Karna also offers practical guidance on building a strong security culture, including employee training, travel risk planning, and cross-functional collaboration. The episode provides actionable insights for organizations looking to strengthen their security posture, and listeners can connect with her via LinkedIn or learn more through red5security.com.

In this episode of CI Press, hosts Shawn Michaud and Jeremy Clark sit down with MG(R) Peter B. Andrysiak Jr. to examine today’s counterintelligence (CI) challenges and how military leaders can stay ahead of them.

The conversation explores emerging threats such as adversarial property acquisitions near military installations and the persistent risk of insider attacks, drawing on lessons from Fort Hood and operational deployments. MG(R) Andrysiak highlights the critical role of trust between commanders and CI professionals in identifying warning signs early and creating a culture where concerns are reported.

The episode also looks at how CI is integrated into combatant command operations, the shift toward proactive protection strategies, and the growing importance of data integration in giving leaders clearer insight and faster decision-making advantage.

This episode offers valuable insight for military leaders, intelligence professionals, policymakers, and anyone focused on the future of Army modernization.