This is the first time that the Council has hosted a senior operations officer of the Central Intelligence Agency. This provides an opportunity to become more familiar with the perspectives and experiences of the senior working level of an essential and somewhat mysterious instrument of American foreign policy. In this case the primary subject matter includes operations in the Middle East, all of Europe and Russia. Mr. Polymeropoulos will also address the challenges of today’s partisan policies to the Agency.  

Mr. Polymeropoulos holds undergraduate and graduate degrees from Cornell University. He retired in 2019 after serving for twenty six years in a variety of operational field and headquarters assignments covering the Middle East, South Asia, Europe, Eurasia, and Russia. He served in both Iraq and Afghanistan and his last position was overseeing clandestine operations in Europe and Eurasia. He was one of the CIA’s most decorated field officers receiving the CIA’s Distinguished Intelligence Medal, the Intelligence Medal of Merit, and the Intelligence Commendation Medal.

We look forward to a most informative and interesting evening.

It is a great pleasure to welcome Mr. Marc Polymeropoulos to the Council.