Michael Walker

As Director of CIA's Near East and South Asia Division, CIA's largest division, Mr. Walker was responsible for leading CIA's intelligence operations in Afghanistan, Iraq and in other countries in the Middle East and South Asia from 2007 to 2010 . During this period he traveled to the region extensively on sensitive intelligence matters and interacted regularly with the National Security Council, Department of Defense, Department of State and FBI. His two other positions at CIA Headquarters were Deputy Director of Special Activities Division (world-wide paramilitary operations) 2000-2002, and Director of Operations in the Counterterrorism Center 1990-1991. He worked abroad 18 of his 29 years with CIA living in various locations in the Middle East, South Asia and Europe and was Chief of Station in five countries. He lived in Afghanistan in the mid 1980's during the Soviet-Mujahidin war, Beirut Lebanon in the late 1980's during the civil war, and again in Afghanistan in 2002 during the U.S.-Taliban war. In 2010, he was awarded the William J. Donovan Award for Exceptional Leadership and retired in late 2010 at the grade of SIS-5. Prior to CIA, in the 1970's, Mr. Walker served as an infantry officer in the United States Marine Corps and as a Peace Corps volunteer in Rajasthan, India. As of 2022, he is an advisor and consultant to several U.S. government agencies and U.S. businesses.