Contact us 1.800.698.2536
Search by Speaker Name or Topic

Jonna Mendez

Former CIA Chief of Disguise; Author of "Spy Dust," "Argo" & "In True Face"

Jonna Mendez
Travels From Travels From:
Please Contact
Speaking Fee Speaking Fee:
Live Event: Please Contact
Virtual Event: Please Contact
More Fee Info
Categories Categories:
Categories Categories:
Female Leadership, Inspirational, Overcoming Adversity, Security & Defense, Women
REQUEST BOOKING INFORMATION

Jonna Mendez Biography

Jonna Mendez is a former Chief of Disguise in the CIA’s Office of Technical Service, often compared to “Q” in the Ian Fleming novels, Mendez was also a specialist in clandestine photography. Her 27-year career, for which she earned the CIA’s Intelligence Commendation Medal, included operational disguise responsibilities in the most hostile theaters of the Cold War, from Havana to Beijing to Moscow and ultimately into the Oval Office.

She is currently an author, lecturer, teacher and consultant on intelligence matters. Mendez has spoken at West Point, the Sorbonne University and Pompidou Centre in Paris, and was a keynote speaker at the 2022 Intelligence International Conference in Melbourne, Australia. She was recently the author in residence at the Hemingway House in Ketchum, Idaho. She is frequently interviewed by the media as an expert commentator.

She has co-written several books with her late husband Antonio Mendez, including "Spy Dust: A True Story of Espionage and Romance," "Argo," and "The Moscow Rules." Her latest book, "In True Face," recounting her career as a female operations officer in the CIA was published in Spring 2024.

Contact a speaker booking agent to check availability on Jonna Mendez and other top speakers and celebrities.

BOOK Jonna Mendez

Jonna Mendez Speaking Topics

  • UNDERCOVER BOSS

    Jonna Mendez has fabricated disguises around the world, in the most hostile cities in the world. She is able to take a well-known figure and quickly disguise them to the level that they basically disappear and their colleagues would not be able to recognize them. This has proven to be an excellent way to bring her talks home to her audience, and she can combine the fascinating clandestine disguise of an “Undercover Boss” with any of her presentation topics below.

  • FEMALE SPIES: CLANDESTINE WOMEN UNDERCOVER

    Jonna Mendez served 27 years undercover with the CIA, retiring as Chief of Disguise. She relates spy tales about a number of effective and not so effective female spies, and also discusses her own experiences, living and traveling around the world, operating in the alleyways of Europe, the Far East and the Subcontinent, in alias identities, participating in classic espionage operations.

  • DISGUISE, DECEPTION AND ILLUSION: CLANDESTINE OPERATIONS BASED ON THE PRINCIPLES OF MAGIC

    From Sun Tzu to the present, warfare has been conducted by the use of deception and illusion. Jonna Mendez, former Chief of Disguise for the CIA, reviews some of the most important deception operations through history. With the use of the art of magic, illusion and misdirection many enemies have been defeated without taking the field of battle. Jonna will recount stories of deception as used by the Allies in the Battle of El Alamien and “D” Day. From Hollywood she learned how to manage the “stage” on the streets of Moscow, delivering “performances” that helped win the Cold War. She also gives examples of how the “stage” of battle could be better managed today in the war against terrorism.

  • THE REAL “Q”: GADGETS AND TECHNOLOGIES IN ESPIONAGE OPERATIONS

    Jonna served 27 years in the Office of Technical Service, the technical arm of the CIA’s operations directorate. She gives an overview of technical operations and the spy gear that made them unique. These gadgets were designed to keep foreign agents in place in hostile environments and to get them out of harm’s way when it was time. She finishes with an in-depth review of operational disguise and identity transformations operations where she tells stories of some of her life and death operations designed to elude surveillance and move intelligence agents and officers clandestinely around the world.

Jonna Mendez Videos

  • ARGO Introduction by Jonna Mendez, CIA Chief of Disguise
    "ARGO" Introduction by Jonna Mendez, CIA Chief of Disguise
    Best Picture Oscar. Undercover in Iran. CIA Chief of Disguise…Intrigued? The Spy Museum hosted an in-person screening of #ARGO with an in-person...
  • Former CIA Chief of Disguise Breaks Down Cold War Spy Gadgets | WIRED
    Former CIA Chief of Disguise Breaks Down Cold War Spy Gadgets | WIRED
    During the Cold War, surveillance in Moscow was the most difficult kind of surveillance that the US had encountered around the globe. Moscow had its...
  • The life and death theatre of espionage | Jonna Mendez | TEDxBermuda
    The life and death theatre of espionage | Jonna Mendez | TEDxBermuda
    NOTE FROM TED: This talk only reflects the speaker’s personal political views and experiences. TEDx events are independently organized by...
See All Videos »

Jonna Mendez Books

  • In True Face: A Woman's Life in the CIA, Unmasked
    In True Face: A Woman's Life in the CIA, Unmasked
  • The Moscow Rules: The Secret CIA Tactics That Helped America Win the Cold War
    The Moscow Rules: The Secret CIA Tactics That Helped America Win the Cold War
  • Spy Dust: Two Masters of Disguise Reveal the Tools and Operations that Helped Win the Cold War
    Spy Dust: Two Masters of Disguise Reveal the Tools and Operations that Helped Win the Cold War

FAQs on booking Jonna Mendez

  • How do I book Jonna Mendez to speak at my event?

    Our experienced booking agents have successfully helped clients around the world secure speakers like Jonna Mendez for speaking engagements, personal appearances, product endorsements, or corporate entertainment since 2002. Click the Check Availability button above and complete the form on this page to check availability for Jonna Mendez, or call our office at 1.800.698.2536 to discuss your upcoming event. One of our experienced agents will be happy to help you get speaking fee information and check availability for Jonna Mendez or any other speaker of your choice.

  • What are the speaker fees for Jonna Mendez

    Speaking fees for Jonna Mendez, or any other speakers and celebrities, are determined based on a number of factors and may change without notice. The estimated fees to book Jonna Mendez are for live events and for virtual events. For the most current speaking fee to hire Jonna Mendez, click the Check Availability button above and complete the form on this page, or call our office at 1.800.698.2536 to speak directly with an experienced booking agent.

  • What topics does Jonna Mendez speak about?

    Jonna Mendez is a keynote speaker and industry expert whose speaking topics include Female Leadership, Inspirational, Overcoming Adversity, Security & Defense, Women.

  • Where does Jonna Mendez travel from?

    Jonna Mendez generally travels from an undisclosed location, but can be booked for private corporate events, personal appearances, keynote speeches, or other performances. For more details, please contact an AAE Booking agent.

  • Who is Jonna Mendez’s agent?

    AAE Speakers Bureau has successfully booked keynote speakers like Jonna Mendez for clients worldwide since 2002. As a full-service speaker booking agency, we have access to virtually any speaker or celebrity in the world. Our agents are happy and able to submit an offer to the speaker or celebrity of your choice, letting you benefit from our reputation and long-standing relationships in the industry. Please click the Check Availability button above and complete the form on this page including the details of your event, or call our office at 1.800.698.2536, and one of our agents will assist you to book Jonna Mendez for your next private or corporate function.

  • What is a full-service speaker booking agency?

    AAE Speakers Bureau is a full-service speaker booking agency, meaning we can completely manage the speaker’s or celebrity’s engagement with your organization from the time of booking your speaker through the event’s completion. We provide all of the services you need to host Jonna Mendez or any other speaker of your choice, including offer negotiation, contractual assistance, accounting and billing, and event speaker travel and logistics services. When you book a speaker with us, we manage the process of hosting a speaker for you as an extension of your team. Our goal is to give our clients peace of mind and a best-in-class service experience when booking a speaker with us.

  • Why is AAE Speakers Bureau different from other booking agencies?

    If you’re looking for the best, unbiased speaker recommendations, paired with a top-notch customer service experience, you’re in the right place. At AAE Speakers Bureau, we exclusively represent the interests of our clients - professional organizations, companies, universities, and associations. We intentionally do not represent the speakers we feature or book. That is so we can present our clients with the broadest and best performing set of speaker options in the market today, and we can make these recommendations without any obligation to promote a specific speaker over another. This is why when our agents suggest a speaker for your event, you can be assured that they are of the highest quality with a history of proven success with our other clients.

Jonna Mendez is a keynote speaker and industry expert who speaks on a wide range of topics such as UNDERCOVER BOSS, FEMALE SPIES: CLANDESTINE WOMEN UNDERCOVER, DISGUISE, DECEPTION AND ILLUSION: CLANDESTINE OPERATIONS BASED ON THE PRINCIPLES OF MAGIC and THE REAL “Q”: GADGETS AND TECHNOLOGIES IN ESPIONAGE OPERATIONS. The estimated speaking fee range to book Jonna Mendez for your event is available upon request. Jonna Mendez generally travels from and can be booked for (private) corporate events, personal appearances, keynote speeches, or other performances. Similar motivational celebrity speakers are Cathy Lanier, Carey Lohrenz, Shoshana Johnson, Becky Halstead and Rachel Druckenmiller. Contact All American Speakers for ratings, reviews, videos and information on scheduling Jonna Mendez for an upcoming live or virtual event.

BOOK Jonna Mendez

Tell us about your event!

During normal business hours, we respond to most inquiries within 4 hours.

  • Customized Service

    Our agents find the right fit for your event

  • Unparalleled Database

    Full access to all speakers & celebrities

  • One Stop Shopping

    A reliable and unbiased point of contact

  • Logistics Management

    Your personal Logistics Manager who takes care of all event details

Need Quick Answers?

We are happy to help! Call us to speak with a booking agent about your event or specific speaker request.

Sarah Miller
phone   1.800.698.2536
Our celebrity booking agents can:

  • Gauge interest and check availability for speaking engagements, appearances or corporate events

  • Provide you with the speaking fee to book Jonna Mendez or other celebrity appearance fees

  • Give you personal recommendations for the best keynote speakers or celebrities

  • Assist you with any questions you have throughout the talent booking process

This website is a resource for event professionals and strives to provide the most comprehensive catalog of thought leaders and industry experts to consider for speaking engagements. A listing or profile on this website does not imply an agency affiliation or endorsement by the talent.

All American Entertainment (AAE) exclusively represents the interests of talent buyers, and does not claim to be the agency or management for any speaker or artist on this site. AAE is a talent booking agency for paid events only. We do not handle requests for donation of time or media requests for interviews, and cannot provide celebrity contact information.

If you are the talent and wish to request a profile update or removal from our online directory, please submit a profile request form.

TOP