Ryan Hillsberg

Ex CIA operations officer
Expert on corporate security, insider threat, espionage, executive recruiting, parenting
Fee: Please inquire
"Beginning with Ryan's first story, the audience was hooked. He helped us clearly see why insider threat actors are so dangerous and why each member of the audience was a potential target."
Chad Butler
Information Security leader, The Walt Disney Company
Areas of Expertise

Ryan is available for training, consulting and speaking engagements, with notable expertise in the following areas:

  • Inspiring, motivating
  • Leadership, strategy, vision
  • Security, counterterrorism
  • Intelligence, clandestine operations
  • Collaboration, communication
  • Parenting using CIA principles
Ryan's Background

Ryan Hillsberg spent 13 years at the CIA as an operations officer, where he was tasked with running foreign intelligence operations and collecting strategic intelligence on issues such as counterterrorism, counter-proliferation, nuclear security, political instability, and covert action. Ryan received several CIA Exceptional Performance awards and was the Agency’s top regional intelligence producer during two separate CIA tours overseas.

After leaving the CIA, Ryan worked for the Pacific Northwest National Laboratory (PNNL), a Department of Energy Office of Science laboratory focused on national security.

After PNNL, Ryan joined Amazon where he led worldwide security for Amazon Prime Air and was responsible for the security of worldwide facilities, personnel, and intellectual property. In addition, he was the global security operations representative for Amazon’s enterprise-wide Insider Threat program.

Today he is the director of corporate security at global biotech company, and is an accomplished security leader with over 20 years of international experience in intelligence and security. He is also co-author of the book License to Parent.

Presentation Examples
Partnership Examples
  • U.S. Department of Energy
  • CrowdStrike
  • Amazon
  • Seagen
  • Disney
  • Central Washington University
Listen to Ryan featured in SPYSCAPE's hit podcast, True Spies
More from Ryan
More from Ryan

Want to request Ryan's Services?

Please tell us a bit about your organization, your objectives and your timeline. If you’re interested in more than one expert, please include all expert names. If you’re interested in specific areas of focus, please list them. A SPYEX representative will connect with you as soon as possible.
Thank you! Your submission has been received!
Oops! Something went wrong while submitting the form.

our experts

Experts from the world's top agencies and institutions — now available to boost your mission.

Lena Sisco
Ex DoD interrogator & Naval intel officer
Expert on interviewing, deception, leadership, change management, entertainment
Gina Bennett
Ex CIA senior analyst & advisor
Expert on cognitive bias, gender equality, intelligence
Darrell Blocker
Ex CIA officer & station chief
Expert on security, risk, crisis management, diversity & inclusion, entertainment
Christina Hillsberg
Ex CIA intelligence officer
Expert on women in espionage, intelligence tradecraft, parenting
Jack Barsky
Ex KGB sleeper agent
Expert on security, espionage, KGB, Cold War, entertainment
Shawnee Delaney
Ex DIA clandestine ops officer
Expert on cybersecurity, insider threat program development, surveillance, investigation
Nic McKinley
Ex CIA officer & USAF pararescueman
Expert on leadership, intelligence, conflict resolution, human trafficking
Michele Rigby Assad
Ex CIA undercover officer
Expert on terrorism, sales, vetting, and inspiring audiences
Avner Avraham
Ex Mossad lieutenant colonel
Expert on Mossad operations, Israeli law enforcement, entertainment
Daniel Hoffman
Ex CIA senior officer & station chief
Expert on leadership, cybersecurity, intelligence, security
Lena Sisco
Ex DoD interrogator & Naval intel officer
Expert on interviewing, deception, leadership, change management, entertainment
Gina Bennett
Ex CIA senior analyst & advisor
Expert on cognitive bias, gender equality, intelligence
Darrell Blocker
Ex CIA officer & station chief
Expert on security, risk, crisis management, diversity & inclusion, entertainment
Christina Hillsberg
Ex CIA intelligence officer
Expert on women in espionage, intelligence tradecraft, parenting
Jack Barsky
Ex KGB sleeper agent
Expert on security, espionage, KGB, Cold War, entertainment
Shawnee Delaney
Ex DIA clandestine ops officer
Expert on cybersecurity, insider threat program development, surveillance, investigation
Nic McKinley
Ex CIA officer & USAF pararescueman
Expert on leadership, intelligence, conflict resolution, human trafficking
Michele Rigby Assad
Ex CIA undercover officer
Expert on terrorism, sales, vetting, and inspiring audiences
Avner Avraham
Ex Mossad lieutenant colonel
Expert on Mossad operations, Israeli law enforcement, entertainment
Daniel Hoffman
Ex CIA senior officer & station chief
Expert on leadership, cybersecurity, intelligence, security
View All

ExperTISE

Secret Intelligence Service - MI6
GCHQ
Belfer Center
FBI
CIA

TESTIMONIALS

"For many of our attendees, Eric's presentation was the highlight. He was engaging, animated, charming and able to extract important and relevant business lessons from his experience with the FBI. I'd recommend him as a speaker at any corporate event."
John Fuller
President & CEO, Johnny Rockets
Ex FBI counterintelligence operative, Eric O'Neill
"One of the most highly decorated CIA field operations officers of his generation... if people knew the work he has done in the shadows of the Middle East, Europe, and Russia, they would sleep easier at night."
Michael Morell
Former Acting Director, CIA
on Ex CIA intelligence service officer, Marc Polymeropoulos
"Bob is a dynamic, humorous individual and kept the audience spellbound...try to do everything you can to meet this exceptional man and hear his fantastic stories."
Lois Glab
Chairman, Ronald Reagan Presidential Library Docent Association
on Ex FBI special agent and undercover operative, Bob Hamer
"Bradley's fascinating stories, actionable lessons and unique perspective captivate, motivate and inspire audiences."
Bob Dougherty
Former undercover operations officer & instructor, CIA
on Ex double agent and former member of Nelson Mandela's spy unit, Bradley Steyn
"Tyler is a charismatic presenter whose talents lie not only in his grasp of hard-to-find facts, but his creative analysis and compelling storytelling. What is more, his audiences take away a lesson learned, something to apply to their own lives."
Barry Scheck
Lawyer & Co-Founder, The Innocence Project
on author & private investigator, Tyler Maroney
"I would recommend Michele as a speaker for any executive event, thought leadership session, female empowerment, leadership, etc. She truly is a catalyzer of incredible content and debate — her content is simply eye opening."
Alice Grasset
Head of Marketing, Israel and Emerging Markets, Salesforce
on Ex CIA undercover officer, Michele Rigby Assad