During over six decades of association with the US Intelligence Community, I have worked in collection operations, counterintelligence, intelligence analysis, and personnel security. After "retirement" from CIA in 1979, I moved to the Monterey Peninsula with a contract to continue research for the Agency that lasted another 20 years. These were very productive years, including writing and publication by CIA of my book, Psychology of Intelligence Analysis. My goal was to continue working as long as I could make a productive contribution. I then became a consultant to the Department of Defense Personnel Security Research Center in Monterey, while also writing, together with Randolph Pherson, our popular book, Structured Analytic Techniques for Intelligence Analysis.

My academic background is a major in Philosophy at Williams College, an M.A. in International Relations from the University of Southern California, graduate studies in Political Science at the University of California in Berkeley, and a summer program on quantitative analysis at the University of Michigan.

I am grateful for the many awards received during the course of my work. These include the CIA Seal Medallion in 1987 for developing and teaching an innovative methodology for addressing "complex and challenging problems" facing the Intelligence Community; CIA recognition in 1988 for my "outstanding contribution to the literature of intelligence"; and again by CIA in 1996 for my "work on countering denial and deception." The International Association of Law Enforcement Intelligence Analysts designated my book, Psychology of Intelligence Analysis, as their "Publication of the Year" for the year 2000. The International Association for Intelligence Education (IAFIE) gave me its 2008 annual award for contribution to intelligence education. I also received the U.S. Congress Certificate of Special Congressional Recognition in 1995 for "outstanding service to the community" during my 12 years of public service in elected office on the Monterey Peninsula.

I have been developing and teaching Structured Analytic Techniques and critical thinking and writing skills for almost two decades to analysts throughout the intelligence, homeland security, and defense communities as well as in the private sector and overseas. Since retiring from the Central Intelligence Agency (CIA) in 2000, i have authored, co-authored, and edited eleven books on intelligence analysis. You can find them on shop.globalytica.com. I am best known for co-authoring Structured Analytic Techniques for Intelligence Analysis with Richards J. Heuer, Jr. and Critical Thinking for Strategic Intelligence with my wife, Katherine Hibbs Pherson. I also write a monthly blog, the Analytic Insider, www.globalytica.com, that provides insights on how to use analytic techniques to better understand how the world is evolving and learn what you can do to stay ahead of the brewing chaos.

As Chief Executive Officer of Globalytica, LLC, i have taught courses in over two dozen countries, supporting major financial institutions, global retailers, and security firms. I am also a Founding Director of the Forum Foundation for Analytic Excellence, a nonprofit that supports the propagation of critical thinking skills and structured analytic techniques. Our companies has taught critical thinking skills and structured analytic techniques to 10 of the Fortune Top 100. We also facilitate Strategic Foresight Analysis workshops for foreign governments, international foundations, and multinational corporations and holds the patent on a suite of collaborative analytic tools. As CEO and as President of Pherson Associates, I have assisted senior corporate and government officials in building robust analytic organizations. Our companies have developed and implemented programs on how to increase the quality and speed of delivery of analytic products for US Government agencies, Homeland Security Fusion Centers, a major global law firm, and a major oil company.I am also a Founding Director of the Forum Foundation for Analytic Excellence, a nonprofit that supports the propagation of critical thinking skills and structured analytic techniques.

Before becoming involved in teaching analytic techniques, I worked for almost three decades in the Intelligence Community, last serving as National Intelligence Officer (NIO) for Latin America. While at the Central Intelligence Agency, I managed the production of intelligence analysis on topics ranging from global instability to Latin America, served on the Inspector General's staff, and developed and implemented a strategic planning process for the agency. I am the proud recipient of the Distinguished Intelligence Medal for my service as NIO for Latin America and the Distinguished Career Intelligence Medal. My academic background is a political science major specializing in African Studies at Dartmouth College and an M.A. in International Relations from Yale University where I also took courses at the Yale Law School.