Sarah Burke
It was a coincidence that Amy Sareeram and Janet Rathod both left their jobs in U.S. government intelligence around the same time, about six years ago. Between them they had spent 30 years in senior roles at the FBI. When they both started new lives in the private sector, it was daunting, to say the least.
“I don’t think you’d find a stronger culture than the FBI,” Rathod says, looking back at her transition out of the bureau. “Our career upbringing was in an organization that is very structured and buttoned up. The private sector is a completely different world.”
Sareeram is now a leadership and change management coach, and Rathod works as Vice President and CISO at Johns Hopkins University.
“Back then there were no transition resources or a network to help us adjust to working in the private sector. And it was an adjustment,” Sareeram says.
Moving from the public to private sector requires a more wholesale evolution than simply memorizing your new commute to the office, or learning the idiosyncrasies of your new boss. Everything changes, from the terminology you use to do your job, and even the clothes you wear to work.
After a couple of years on the outside, Sareeram and Rathod began to compare notes. And then other former FBI analysts joined the discussion. Those conversations turned into the idea that launched the FBI Association of Intelligence Analysts (AIA) in 2021, with support from current and former senior leaders inside the FBI. Amy Sareeram is now the Chair of the Board at the AIA and Janet Rathod is its President.
“It just became more and more apparent that we could benefit from having a community, to lean on each other and then help those who are transitioning out,” Janet says. “Not just former FBI analysts, but people from other government agencies too.”
At the moment AIA membership is only open to former FBI intelligence analysts, but their program of events and advocacy extend to a much wider group of professionals from all agencies of government, and across the private sector. The mission for the organization is to create a support network for intelligence analysts as a whole, while supporting people still working inside the FBI who might be considering a change.
Nikki Rutman spent most of her career at the FBI before moving to the private sector. She is now Chief Intelligence Officer at intelligence consultancy Duck Cove Associates. She joined the board of the AIA last year.
“Bureau analysts in particular don’t always know how to own their role. Part of that is institutional, being deferential,” Rutman said. “That doesn’t work in the private sector. You have to put yourself out there. That takes coaching. And I think that’s something that AIA can really provide for the people who have left.”
Rutman says FBI intelligence analysts are often unprepared, in particular, for a corporate hiring process.
“Knowing how to network is not something that’s inherent to us. In the private sector world LinkedIn and networking are automatic features. And you have to understand how compensation works. Because in government service there’s no negotiation. There is a salary, and that’s it. Many people with a government background need support with how to advocate for themselves.”
In the past few months, since the Trump administration began a program of job cuts across the federal government, more people have been reaching out to AIA, looking for community and guidance.
“We have seen analysts seeking information on what opportunities exist if they are subject to lay offs and how to cope with being asked to do the same work with less resources,” Sareeram says.
Rutman says on a personal level she is hearing from people within her own network who are getting comfortable with the idea of moving to a role in private sector intelligence.
“They never intended to leave, but now feel like they have to at least consider it. More people are coming to this weird crossroads, and it’s a nice safety net to know that something like the AIA exists,” Rutman said.
Individual mentorship and making connections is the bedrock of the AIA’s purpose, but equally important is its ambition to advocate for the profession as a whole. The organization wants to tell the story of intelligence as a career – as a primary function of government and business – and a contribution to the public good.
“If I go back to my home town and say that I’m a heart surgeon, everybody immediately knows what that is,” Rathod says. “If I say that my background is as an intelligence analyst, people don’t often know what that means. We want to tell the story of what we do.”
Almost by definition, the work of an intelligence analyst isn’t often seen by others.
Sierra Stanczyk is the COO of the AIA and serves in a cyber threat intelligence role in the private sector.
“We’re here to showcase the value of FBI intelligence.” Sierra says. “There are a lot of misconceptions about what we do. Movies and TV shows don’t necessarily do it justice. So we’re here to change perspectives.”
A background in government intelligence is often considered the “traditional” route to a career as an analyst. But it’s no longer the only route. The private sector space is growing quickly and developing its own home-grown talent. Supporting career transitions – in both directions – is good for the intelligence community. Stanczyk wants to encourage intelligence professionals from any background to share their tradecraft and see beyond their particular role or organization.
“We really want to offer a space where people can visualize different kinds of success, so they can commit to that same level of service, even if it’s in a different context and environment.”
Despite the big changes in the public sector, this is still an exciting time to be an intelligence analyst. Big changes to technology and artificial intelligence will keep the field dynamic and evolving, Rathod says.
“I’m an evangelist. The field is about to undergo its biggest transformation.”
“It is always an exciting time to be an analyst,” Rutman says. “Like an archeologist, you’re digging for that hidden secret. Your work can give you that ‘a-ha’ moment.”
“Serving and protecting can be really rewarding,” Sareeram says. “It might not get a lot of recognition, but what you do matters. So to all the intelligence professionals out there, thank you for your service – from one analyst to another.”
Are you a former FBI intelligence analyst? Learn more about the AIA here.
Are you an intelligence professional from a different agency or corporation? Check out AIA’s program of events here.