CIA Director Gina Haspel welcomed three senior officers to the Agency’s leadership team with the arrival of Deputy Director Vaughn Bishop, Chief Operating Officer (COO) Andrew (Andy) Makridis, and Chief Diversity and Inclusion Officer (CDIO) Sonya Holt.
This week marks the first week that all three officers are in their new roles.
Sworn in on 6 August, Deputy Director Bishop returns to the Agency after a 30-year career. Director Haspel noted, “Vaughn is an incredible intelligence officer, highly respected in the analytic cadre and by our allies.”
COO Makridis succeeds Brian Bulatao, who is pending Senate confirmation to be Under Secretary of State for Management. “Andy brings a wealth of expertise from his 32-year CIA career and has a deep understanding of how the Agency works. He is the ultimate team player,” Director Haspel said.
CDIO Holt takes the helm after a 34-year Agency career. Director Haspel remarked, “To succeed against the intelligence challenges facing us today, we must have officers who bring a variety of life experiences and viewpoints to the job. Under the seasoned leadership of Sonya, we will continue to promote a diverse and inclusive workforce that is so vital to our mission.”
Director Haspel and her leadership team are hosting workforce engagements and will share more publicly about their priorities in the near future.
DCIA Message to the Workforce: New Chief Operating Officer
It is with great pleasure that Vaughn and I would like to announce that we have selected Andrew (Andy) Makridis to be CIA’s next Chief Operating Officer (COO). Many of you either know Andy or have worked with him during his 32-year CIA career.
He has raised his hand countless times for the tough jobs and has always set the highest leadership standards. Andy has a reputation for creating empowered teams that drive the Agency mission forward. We think he is a great addition to our leadership team.
Andy entered on duty in 1986, after spending two summers with CIA as a graduate fellow. He joined the Directorate of Intelligence in 1989, where he served in a number of expert-level analytic roles and management positions. Andy served as an executive assistant for DDCIA John McLaughlin before becoming President George W. Bush’s intelligence briefer, a position he held from December 2001 to February 2004. Director John Brennan asked Andy to stand up the Weapons and Counter Proliferation Mission Center and serve as its first Assistant Director (AD).
Andy has a bachelor’s degree in aerospace engineering from the University of Buffalo and did his master’s work in computer science at the Rochester Institute of Technology.
Andy brings a wealth and breadth of experience from across the Agency. He’s worked both as an AD and at the Directorate level, and has a deep understanding of how the place works. Those of you who know him know how committed he is to the success of the CIA mission; you also know that he is the ultimate team player. Vaughn and I couldn’t be more pleased that Andy has agreed to fill the COO position.
Source: thenationalherald.com