IAFIE Programming

IAFIE Support Intelligence Efforts in Mexico - 5.7.25
Intelligence Studies Consortium Symposium - 3.19.25
Washington DC Chapter Event - 2.5.25
IAFIE Book Interview - 11.8.24
IAFIE & IALEIA Munch & Learn - 9.26.24

IAFIE Supports Intelligence Efforts in Mexico - 5.7.25

On May 7, IAFIE members John Pyrik (Canada) and Marilyn Peterson (U.S.) provided a ninety-minute webinar to IAFIE’s emerging chapter in Mexico. The topic of the webinar was the designation by the U.S. government of Mexican cartels as foreign terrorist organizations and the impact of that and other changes on the business community in Mexico. While Mexico has anti-money laundering reporting processes and procedures, they have not covered counter-terrorism financing in the past. Forty five people attended, some from as far away as the Seychelles.

Mr. Pyrik discussed the laws in the U.S. that support the designation as a Foreign Terrorist Organization, material support statutes, the importance of enhanced due diligence between businesses and their customers, and the differences between terrorism financing and drug profits. He suggested that terror groups are smaller and may operate with smaller sums of currency, while drug traffickers are larger with much larger sums of money. He also covered trade-based money laundering, Canada’s Fintrac organization and the coalition between Mexico, the U.S. and Canada to combat fentanyl. Pyrik futher highlighted two key distinctions; the advantage Mexican authorities have in that their terrorist organizations are also often very conspicuous money launderers and the increased risk of civil liability.

Ms. Peterson spoke about the U.S. designations of six Mexican cartels as Foreign Terrorist Organizations and how this may impact Mexican businesses that could be considered to be illegally providing them with ‘material support’ which could lead to prosecution by U.S. authorities. She also talked about the weakening of U.S. regulations regarding beneficial ownership reporting and how that might encourage ‘front’ or ‘shell’ companies to engage with the cartels. It was also noted that increased militarization along the Mexico- U.S. border (in Texas, Arizona, California and New Mexico) could lessen the traffic normally through the borders.

The seminar was hosted by Mr. Carlos Hernandez Vasquez and his training organization, Nzaya. He is working to establish a regional IAFIE Latin America chapter as well as with Keyla Vargas to begin a local one in Mexico. Mr. Robin Lobb, IAFIE’s membership director and vice-president, assisted in arranging the program.

Intelligence Studies Consortium Symposium - 3.19.25

The annual Intelligence Studies Consortium symposium was held on March 19, 2025 at the Howard University Louis Stokes Health Sciences Library in Washington, DC. The symposium was attended by approximately 130 people. Its overall leaders were the National Intelligence University (Dr. Christopher Bailey) and the University of New Hampshire (Dr. Andrew McPherson). The Howard University primary contact was Dr. Lenora Gant. It was sponsored by IAFIE, IALEIA and the Institute for World Politics.

The agenda was comprised of a keynote speaker (Mr. Harry Coker), five panel discussions, and a closing speaker (Howard Business School Dean Anthony D. Wilbon). There were also numerous posters displayed and an opportunity for students to meet with university and government personnel regarding opportunities in the field.

The panels included topics of Strategic Intelligence and Great Power, Legends, Emerging Technology and Violent Non-State Actors. Eight schools were represented in the panels including National Intelligence University, James Madison University, University of New Hampshire, Institute for World Politics, University of Massachusetts Lowell, George Mason University, Marymount University, and Howard University. The poster presentations included those schools as well as the University of St. Vincent.

A Legends panel included Maj Gen Michael Ennis, USMC (ret) now with SAIC; Jim McCool, CEO of McCool Team LLC; Dr. Philip Ritcheson, a retired IC senior executive; and James Danoy, a retired senior-level intelligence officer from the Defense Intelligence Agency, now of George Mason University.

Picture above, the Legends Panel Presentation. IAFIE Member Linda Millis moderated.

Pictured above are Dr. Lenora Gant, Ambassador Aldona Wos, and IAFIE representative Marilyn Peterson.

Washington DC Chapter Event - 2.5.25

On February 5, 2025, the Institute of World Politics IAFIE student chapter (Alpha) hosted a lecture by Kevin P. Riehle regarding his latest book, The Russian KGB A Concise History of the Federal Security Service. Over 50 persons attended the lecture and many took advantage of the opportunity to purchase and have the new book autographed. Kevin is a lecturer at Brunel University in London. He was a counterintelligence analyst in the U.S. government before retiring.

Aaron Danis, an IAFIE professor at the IWP and his students, were responsible for the lecture. It was taped and when it becomes available, we will advise IAFIE members. Marilyn Peterson attended representing IAFIE.

Pictured are Aaron Danis, IAFIE Alpha student chapter mentor; speaker Kevin Riehle and IAFIE Metro Chapter President Marilyn Peterson.

IAFIE Book Interview - 11.8.24

On Friday, November 8^th IAFIE Treasurer Charles R. Gallagher, currently the Francis C. Wade Chair in History at Marquette University, sat down with author Alessandro Giorgi to interview him on his new book, The Fighting Fathers: CIA-Backed Catholic Militia in South Vietnam (Schiffer Military History, 2024). The interview was a part of Gallagher’s class at Marquette, HIST 4931 Religion & Espionage. Alessandro Giorgi is an Italian military historian, teacher, and author of six books. This was his first book talk on The Fighting Fathers.

IAFIE & IALEIA Munch & Learn - 9.26.24

The Washington, DC IAFIE Chapter held a meeting on September 26, in conjunction with the Metro DC International Association of Law Enforcement Intelligence Analysts (IALEIA) at Marymount University in Arlington, VA. The two organizations are strategic partners within the broad intelligence community. Guest speakers included Dr. Deborah Pfaff, of the National Intelligence University (NIU) and Ms. Alison Price-McGinnis, of the U.S. Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives. The moderator of the event was Mr. Derrick T. Dortch, of the Institute of World Politics. The topic for discussion was the similarities and differences between national security and law enforcement intelligence, as well as the career paths the two had taken.

The event was streamed over Marymount’s Zoom account and its recipients were worldwide. Included in the attendance were Dr. Barry Zulauf, former president of IAFIE; Ms. Ronell Porch, president of the Metro DC IALEIA Chapter; Ms. Sabrina Magris, current IAFIE Secretary and President of the École Universitaire Internationale in Rome; and local IALEIA chapter board members Ms. Sharlene Ash and Mr. Dortch. At the conclusion of the discussion, Chapter President Ms. Marilyn Peterson gave three books on intelligence to participants in the meeting. Ms. Peterson and Jason King, President of the IAFIE Student chapter at Georgetown (IOTA), organized the meeting. A new IAFIE membership flyer, developed by Lenka Villela of the University of New Hampshire for IAFIE, was also distributed.

Marilyn B. Peterson, DC Area Regional Director and Jason King, Georgetown graduate and Assistant Regional Director for the DC Area, planned and executed the joint meeting between IAFIE and the International Association of Law Enforcement Intelligence Analysts (IALEIA) held September 26 at Marymount University in Arlington, VA. The event was attended by both people in person and through Marymount’s Zoom capability. (Photo by Lind Aitken).

Dr. Deborah Pfaff, of the National Intelligence University; Mr. Derrick T. Dortch, of the Institute of World Politics; and Ms. Alison Price-McGinnis, of the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives; discussed their career experiences in intelligence at a joint meeting of the International Association for Intelligence Education (IAFIE) and the International Association of Law Enforcement Intelligence Analysts (IALEIA) held at Marymount University, Arlington, VA on September 26, 2024. It was the first joint meeting of the organizations’ respective Washington, DC area chapters. (Photo by Lind Aitken)