After a decade of government service, Michele left the undercover life to serve as a public speaker, author, trainer, and international security consultant focused on the Middle East, North Africa, and Europe.
MICHELE RIGBY ASSAD
Michele Rigby Assad began her career in the government relations department of an international relief and development organization in Washington, DC, in 1995. She joined the CIA in January 2002 to work as an intelligence officer in the Directorate of Operations, the covert arm of the agency. Specializing in counterterrorism and counterintelligence issues, Michele worked in Iraq and other secret Middle Eastern locations. To date, Michele has lived in six countries in the Near East region and traveled to more than forty-five others.
After a decade of government service, Michele left the undercover life to serve as a public speaker, author, trainer, and international security consultant focused on the Middle East, North Africa, and Europe. Her book Breaking Cover: My Secret Life in the CIA and What It Taught Me about What’s Worth Fighting For, published by Tyndale Momentum, was released February 2018. She and her husband, Joseph, live in Florida.
Michele holds a master’s degree in contemporary Arab studies from Georgetown University’s School of Foreign Service and a political science degree from Palm Beach Atlantic University. She has been featured on ABC’s 20/20, Megyn Kelly Today, Fox Business, The Spy Museum, Google, and the Smithsonian.
Michele credits student-led mission trips to Egypt, Russia, and Ukraine and a study abroad program in Egypt, Israel, and the West Bank as being the catalysts for her passion for foreign cultures and international travel. The year she spent studying in the Middle East changed the course of her life, taking her from rural central Florida to the front lines of the war on terror. Michele is motivated to use her unique platform to educate and inspire, showing how critical courage is to living a life of impact and purpose.
Keynote Topics Include:
• Government
• International Affairs
• Politics
• Adversity
• Perseverance
How Leveraging War-Zone Tactics in the Workplace Can Help Overcome Stereotypes
Michele uses her experience as a female in the male-dominated intelligence sector to show how your unique personality and perspective are key to being a stand-out in the workplace. Despite being told that she could not carry out successful counterterrorism operations because she would never be accepted as a female by the terrorist sources she would have to work with, Michele turned this assumption on its head. She explains how she triumphed by turning her perceived disadvantages to her advantage in the debriefing room, acquiring intelligence others could not.
How to “Break Cover” and Break Through the Financial Chaos
In today’s changing global economy it is not surprising that people feel a sense of instability. Every day there’s concerning news about what is happening in the stock market. Similarly, there’s a high level of on-going fear with terrorism that strikes to the core of our world. As an undercover CIA operative Michele shares her experiences, challenges and techniques of overcoming obstacles even through difficult and dangerous situations. She will walk through the parallels of the life of a spy and being a financial advisor.
Speaking Categories
- Inspirational
- Leadership
- Politics
Price Range
- $15,000 - $25,000
- Contact us for Pricing
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* This specific fee falls within this range. Ranges are presented as a guideline only. Speaker fees are subject to change without notice. For an exact quote, please call us or contact Innovative Entertainment through the form below.
