Iron Butterfly
64 episodes - English - Latest episode: 13 days ago - ★★★★★ - 50 ratingsThe first podcast by and for women in the US Intelligence Community, The Iron Butterfly Podcast brings you real stories from women in intelligence.
Eighty years ago, Eloise Page joined the Office of Strategic Services, trailblazing a path for what ultimately became the United States Intelligence Community. She rose the ranks from secretary to case officer, defying the norms of her time, and eventually became the first female Chief of Station at CIA. Eloise was known among her colleagues to be a fierce fighter with a core of steel, and she earned the code name "Iron Butterfly."
Our podcast continues her legacy, inviting the unsung heroines of the US intelligence community to share their stories with aspiring leaders like you.Women in the intelligence community are special because they've dedicated their lives to studying the whole world. And through conversations with hundreds of women in intelligence over the past few years, we've come to understand that the world is at an inflection point. Women hold a more central role in society than ever before, and at Iron Butterfly Media, we are committed to amplifying authentic voices that inspire women to create, wherever they are.
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Episodes
Dawn Meyerriecks: Heritage Oak
December 01, 2020 14:05 - 33 minutes - 15.2 MBJoin us this week as we sit down with Dawn Meyerriecks, Deputy Director for Science and Technology (DS&T) at the Central Intelligence Agency. Dawn discusses her experience as a late-career hire, the importance of reverse-mentoring, and why she wants her team to fail fast, learn, and move on. She shares her leadership style, including her work to create an environment where people feel encouraged to take risks and push the boundaries of the possible. Tune in to learn more about the importance...
Maria Witkop: Stone Catcher
November 24, 2020 15:10 - 35 minutes - 16.3 MBThis week on the Iron Butterfly Podcast, we are joined by Maria Witkop, a 21-year veteran of the FBI. Maria served in a variety of roles in the Bureau, to include evidence collection at Ground Zero after 9/11, working in the Behavioral Analysis Unit, and serving as a certified Crisis Negotiator. In this episode, Maria discusses the importance of listening and building trust, or as she says, "reaching out instead of kicking," even in the face of atrocities. Join us to find out why Maria was h...
Margery Conway: Meteorite
November 17, 2020 13:35 - 46 minutes - 21.5 MBOn this episode of the Iron Butterfly podcast, we are excited to share this breaking story of “Margery Conway.” Margery—who was required to use this alias by the Central Intelligence Agency—spent her career working at CIA as a Case Officer. In this episode, Margery shares her experience as the first woman Case Officer to give birth overseas, the first woman to file and win a class action lawsuit against the CIA for discrimination, and the first of our guests to actually meet Eloise Page, the ...
Corin Stone: Tempered Glass
November 10, 2020 15:49 - 32 minutes - 14.8 MBCorin Stone, former Deputy Director of National Intelligence for Strategy and Engagement at the Office of the National Director of Intelligence (ODNI), joins us this week on the Iron Butterfly podcast. Corin previously worked at the State Department where she completed a tour in Iraq and served as Legal Advisor to Ambassador Negroponte. Corin helped to create the ODNI after 9/11, as well as a legal culture within the IC. As a lawyer who has worked at the State Department, NSA, and ODNI, Corin...
Janice Glover-Jones: Warrior Luminous
November 03, 2020 17:27 - 28 minutes - 12.8 MBThis week, Janice Glover-Jones, Chief Diversity, Equality and Inclusion Officer at the Defense Intelligence Agency joins us on the Iron Butterfly Podcast. Janice shares insight from her successful journey through every single government rank, from GS-1 to Senior Executive. Janice has held multiple leadership roles across the intelligence and defense communities and explains how she hopes to inspire others to achieve their goals. Janice discusses the value of cultivating her relationships, sta...
Suzanne Kelly: Cipher One
October 27, 2020 13:02 - 36 minutes - 16.6 MBSuzanne Kelly, CEO and publisher of the Cipher Brief, joins Iron Butterfly this week. Suzanne shares her journey to the Cipher Brief and becoming the go-to resource for in-depth coverage of national security issues. Prior to starting the Cipher Brief, Suzanne worked for CNN where she was the Intelligence Correspondent. She built the Cipher Brief from her 20+ years as a journalist. Suzanne is known for being an entrepreneur, bringing creative ideas to the table, and her approach to getting pe...
Mary Quinn: Q
October 20, 2020 12:57 - 37 minutes - 17.3 MBThis week, Iron Butterfly is joined by Mary Quinn. Mary has almost three decades of government work under her belt, serving in roles such as Intelligence Officer for the Army, Senior SOUTHCOM Representative, Chief of Operations at Defense Intelligence Agency (DIA), and Deputy Director of the National Media Exploitation Center at DIA. Mary also worked in the private sector and has been a high school teacher and coach. Join us as she discusses building confidence, becoming a leader, and the imp...
Jenifer Smith: Sapphire Helix
October 13, 2020 12:26 - 37 minutes - 17 MBJenifer Smith joins Iron Butterfly this week to share how a female biochemist ended up working in national security. Jenifer served as an FBI Special Agent for 23 years, where she oversaw analysis for DNA and weapons of mass destruction, and she also led the CIA’s Biological Technology Center. Throughout her career, she investigated some of the most high-profile cases in the community, including the Unabomber and White House scandal involving former President Bill Clinton and Monica Lewinsky...
Tish Long: The Velvet Hammer
October 06, 2020 13:00 - 27 minutes - 12.7 MBThis week, Iron Butterfly is joined by Tish Long, former Director of the National Geospatial-Intelligence Agency, and the first woman who became Director for a "big five" 3-letter agency. She shares her experience serving in key leadership roles across the community, including as the Deputy Director of Defense Intelligence Agency, Deputy Director of Naval Intelligence, and Deputy Undersecretary of Defense for Intelligence. In this episode, Tish walks us through her journey to becoming one o...
Ellen McCarthy: Big Mac
September 29, 2020 15:15 - 28 minutes - 13.2 MBThe Honorable Ellen McCarthy, Assistant Secretary of State for Intelligence and Research (INR), joins Iron Butterfly this week to share her experiences rising through the ranks in the intelligence community. Ellen has served in a variety of government, private sector, and non-profit roles, including as the COO of NGA, President of Noblis NSP, and President of INSA. This conversation explores INR's roots in the OSS, Ellen's own unconventional career path, and AWIC's power connecting women a...
Karen Gibson: Kumquat
September 22, 2020 13:00 - 33 minutes - 15.3 MBThis week, Iron Butterfly is joined by Karen Gibson, a former U.S. Army Lieutenant General who served as the Director of Intelligence for four different organizations, including CENTCOM and deployed Task Forces in Iraq and Africa. She shares her adventures at the exciting nexus of intelligence and operations, and brings listeners "inside the tent" where military decision-making happens. In this episode, Karen tells stories about the real impact of her work as a forward-deployed intelligenc...
Sue Gordon: Simple Patriot
September 15, 2020 13:04 - 28 minutes - 13.2 MBThe Honorable Sue Gordon, former Principal Deputy Director of National Intelligence, joins Iron Butterfly this week to share her experiences braving uncertainty and making tough decisions in senior roles across the community. Sue is a 29-year CIA veteran with over 3 decades in the IC, and is known for her incredible leadership across the community, especially in advancing intelligence integration, expanding outreach and partnerships, and driving innovation. This discussion delves into the c...
Carmen Medina: Rebel at Work
September 08, 2020 13:00 - 24 minutes - 11.4 MBCarmen Medina, former Deputy Director for Intelligence Central Intelligence Agency and NSI Advisory Board member, joins Iron Butterfly to discuss her 32 years’ experience in the Intelligence Community. Carmen is the co-author of Rebels At Work: A Handbook for Leading Change from Within and of the landmark piece, Diversity’s New Frontier: Diversity of Thought and the Future of the Workplace. Her story as a change agent at CIA is featured in Wharton School professor Adam Grant’s bestseller Ori...
Iron Butterfly Trailer
September 02, 2020 17:08 - 1 minute - 552 KBWelcome to the Iron Butterfly Podcast, co-produced by the National Security Institute and the Amazing Women of the IC, better known as AWIC. Iron Butterfly is the first podcast by and for women in the US Intelligence Community which brings you real stories from women in intelligence. Eighty years ago, Eloise Page joined the Office of Strategic Services, or the OSS, a predecessor for what we recognize today as the United States Intelligence Community. Page started as a secretary, but worked ...