Michele Rigby Assad
Areas of Expertise
Michele is available for training, consulting and speaking engagements, with notable expertise in the following areas:
- Intelligence, clandestine operations
- Security, counterterrorism
- Inspiring, motivating
- Social change, avoiding bias, diversity
- Performance improvement, sales
- Risk assessment and management
Michele served for ten years as an undercover intelligence officer for the CIA’s Directorate of Operations. Her specialization in counterterrorism and counterintelligence have brought a fresh and unique perspective to risk assessments and risk mitigation strategies for corporate clients.
The majority of her work has focused on strengthening and inspiring corporate work forces in the United States, Middle East, and Europe through keynote addresses and bespoke training. Michele also conducts behavioral assessments, interviews designed to analyze behavior with the objective of investigating difficult cases.
Michele has lived in six countries and traveled to more than forty-five; this extensive experience in war-torn cultures and high-risk areas informs her ability to assess and vet even the most challenging individuals. These experiences are highlighted in her bestselling book Breaking Cover: My Secret Life in the CIA and What it Taught Me About What’s Worth Fighting For.
Michele's husband, Joseph Assad, is a former U.S. Government counterterrorism official and a SPYEX trainer, speaker and consultant.
Presentation Examples
- How to Spot a Liar and Deconstruct Their Claims — The Ultimate Guide to Vetting People and Information - Ever watch shows like Homeland and wish you had the superpower to know who was lying and who could be trusted when searching for a CEO, recruiting employees, considering business partners, choosing vendors, or vetting financial products for Wall Street? Learn tradecraft to detect deception and avoid fraud in the corporate world.
- Transformative Sales Strategies — Lessons from Terrorists and Insurgents - Learn how a female operative was able to manage tricky operational relationships with terrorists and insurgents in order to gather life-saving information to stop terror attacks. Learn the skills to connect with anyone and transform your liabilities into your greatest advantage.
- Get Off the X — How to Get Out of the Comfort Zone and Elevate Your Operational Focus - Conquer the tendency to freeze using lessons from ambush training to push through doubt, uncertainty, and intimidation. Never underestimate the power of baby-steps in your life and career.
Partnership Examples
- Aetna
- Guardian
- Morgan Stanley
- Baltimore Ravens
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