“The Unexpected Spy”: Life in the CIA and FBI with Tracy Walder

In this episode, A’ndre and Ryan talk with Tracy Walder, a former CIA  staff operations officer and FBI special agent, about her life navigating both of these agencies. They discuss why Tracy joined the CIA, and how she, as a 22 year old, was at the forefront of intelligence analysis in the immediate aftermath of 9/11, interacting with officials at the highest levels of government, including President Bush and CIA Director George Tenet. Tracy lifts the veil on the impact that working in the CIA and FBI has on daily life,  which includes a candid discussion on how she overcame varying personal challenges throughout her career. Tracy talks about some of her field experiences, ranging from interviewing terrorists with the CIA’s Counterterrorism Center to working with the FBI on Chinese counterintelligence in Los Angeles. The conversation ends with Tracy’s perspective on diversity in the IC and how more women can pursue such careers.

This episode was based on Tracy’s fascinating and captivating book, “The Unexpected Spy: From the CIA to the FBI, My Secret Life Taking Down Some of the World’s Most Notorious Terrorists“.