John Sano

John Sano spent 28 years in the Central Intelligence Agency and was appointed the National Clandestine Services (formerly the Directorate of Operations) Deputy Director in November 2005 by then DCI Porter Goss. As Deputy Director, Sano directed the operational focus of U.S. global intelligence operations on terrorism, weapons proliferation, counterintelligence, regional and country-specific issues at a time of unprecedented growth in both human and budgetary resources and unprecedented threats. In addition, Sano was an active member of the CIA's Executive Management Team and regularly briefed senior Administration as well as Congress on matters of national security and worldwide covert operations.

Previous positions within the CIA included serving as a Chief of Station in two foreign and one domestic location, as well as nearly 15 years of overseas experience in Asia, Eastern Europe and the Middle East. Among other senior assignments, Sano was the CIA's chief of North Korean operations in the early '90s and directed the CIA's efforts during the Balkan conflict in the mid-90s.

Sano has spoken domestically and internationally on a range of topics - to include human intelligence operations, covert action, counterterrorism, proliferation and other transnational issues. He has also briefed corporate suites on economic espionage, insider threats, cyber-attacks and other issues of relevance to Fortune 500 companies.

A recipient of the Donovan Award (the NCS highest award), Sano has also been presented the Directors Award, the Balkans Service Medallion, the Exceptional Intelligence Collector Award and the Distinguished Career Intelligence Medal by Directors Robert Gates, George Tenet, Porter Goss, and Michael Hayden. Sano was also awarded the Diplomatic Order of Merit in 2002 by the President of the Republic of Korea.

Prior to joining the CIA, Sano earned a Bachelor's Degree in Political Science and a Masters in Asian Studies from St. Johns University in New York, as well as a Masters of International Affairs from Columbia University.

Sano retired from the CIA in 2007 and joined Cisco Systems, Inc. as a Senior Director of Business Development. Sano also serves on the Board of Directors of Aegis Defense Services, LLC; a subsidiary of the British owned Aegis Defense Services Limited and is a professorial lecturer on national security and intelligence issues at the Elliott School of International Affairs at The George Washington University in Washington, D.C.. Sano also serves on the National Board of Directors of the Association of Former Intelligence Officers (AFIO) as well as serving as the AFIO Vice-President.

He is also a long standing member of Business Executives for National Security (BENS), the Armed Forces Communications and Electronics Association (AFCEA), and the Intelligence and National Security Alliance.