Shows / The Watchers
The Watchers
The Watchers is a profile in the people who are looking out for the rest of us. From national security to cybersecurity, regulators to military operators, these are the people who are on the wall for us.
Episodes
The WatchersPat Manley On Q-Day, Trust Now Forge Later, And Superintelligence Breaking Encryption | Ep 53
The quantum threat to encryption is already here. And waiting for Q-Day may be too late. On this episode of The Watchers, host Andy Sauer sits down with Pat…
- The Watchers
Yolanda Reid On Post-Quantum Cryptography, AI Trust, And Human Judgment | Ep 52
Dr. Yolanda Reid explains why post-quantum migration will require more than replacing encryption algorithms—and why organizations should expect systems to fail…
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Chris Cleary On Cyber Privateering, Private-Sector Power, And AI Deterrence | Ep. 51
Chris Cleary examines whether sanctioned private organizations could help confront ransomware groups and other cyber adversaries. The conversation explores…
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Camille Stewart Gloster On AI Agents, Active Governance, And Cathedral Thinking | Ep 50
Camille Stewart Gloster examines what happens when autonomous AI systems become active participants inside organizations. Drawing from The Insider You Built…
- The Watchers
Kim Irvin On AI-Driven Cyber Defense, CMMC, And A Cyber Force | Ep 49
Kim Irvin, co-founder and CEO of Minerva Cyber Technologies, examines how small defense contractors absorb cash-flow pressure, regulation, and uncertainty…
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Dmitri Alperovitch On Taiwan, China’s Cyber Preparation, And Deterrence | Ep 48
In Episode 48, Dmitri Alperovitch maps the strategic signals around a potential conflict over Taiwan. He covers what Russia's invasion of Ukraine taught…
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Brian Drake on artificial intelligence, autonomous warfare, and the ethics of disruption | Ep 47
Former DIA Director of Artificial Intelligence Brian Drake joins Andy Sauer for a wide-ranging conversation about the future of AI, autonomous weapons…
- The Watchers
Tim Van Name on AI warfare, cybersecurity incentives, and America’s technological future | Ep 46
Former NSA engineer and White House cybersecurity leader Tim Van Name joins Andy Sauer to discuss the future of cyber conflict, AI-enabled warfare, and the…
- The Watchers
Phyllis Lee On Reasonable Cybersecurity, Compliance Overload, And Software Risk | Ep 45
After 25 years at the NSA, Phyllis Lee now helps shape the CIS Critical Security Controls used by organizations around the world. In this episode of Sentinel…
- The Watchers
Laura Galante On AI Competition, Strategic Infrastructure, And The Future Of Cyber Defense | Ep 44
What happens when cyber risk becomes a question of national power, infrastructure, and resilience? Laura Galante joins Andy Sauer to explore how cyber…
- The Watchers
Vicky Pillitteri on risk management, AI security, and the future of cybersecurity standards
Andy Sauer sits down with Vicky Pillitteri from National Institute of Standards and Technology to discuss the intent behind NIST cybersecurity standards, the…
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Jen Sovada on OT complexity, human-centered cybersecurity, and the global skills gap
Jen Sovada joins Andy Sauer to explore the hidden complexity of operational technology and why securing it requires more than technical expertise. They discuss…
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Mary Brooks on Cyber Assistance, Supply Chains, and the Fracturing of Digital Trust
Cybersecurity isn’t just technical — it’s geopolitical. In this episode, Mary Brooks joins Andy to examine how U.S. cyber assistance, digital trust, and supply…
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Matt Lee on the cybersecurity poverty line, insurance risk shifts, and systemic failure
Matt Lee breaks down a hard truth: much of the market is operating below a viable cybersecurity baseline. He explains the concept of the “cybersecurity poverty…
- The Watchers
Anna Wheeler on breaking barriers, leadership under fire, and cyber's evolution
Episode Description (75 words) From helicopter gunner to cybersecurity strategist, Anna Wheeler’s career bridges the kinetic and digital battlefields. Andy and…
- The Watchers
Andy Boyd on Cyber Power, AI Disruption, & the Future of National Security | The Watchers Episode 38
Former CIA cyber chief Andy Boyd joins The Watchers to unpack how nation states wield cyber power, why Russia held back during Ukraine, and how China…
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Teresa Shea on NSA Leadership, Trust, and the Future of Cyber Intelligence | The Watchers Episode 37
Teresa Shea shares an insider’s perspective on national security, leadership, and trust after a 34-year career at the NSA. From surviving the intelligence…
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Jonny Gannon on CIA Operations, Leadership Under Fire & AI Intelligence
In this episode of The Watchers, Andy Sauer sits down with former CIA officer Jonny Gannon for an inside look at clandestine operations, from the front lines…
- The Watchers
Bob Skinner on Presidential Communications, Cyber Leadership, and AI Accountability
Retired Lieutenant General Bob Skinner joins Andy Sauer to unpack leadership at the highest levels of national security. From overseeing presidential…
- The Watchers
General David Petraeus on Strategic Leadership, Great-Power Competition, and the AI Revolution
In this episode of The Watchers, Andy Sauer sits down with General David Petraeus to discuss leadership at the highest levels of war, intelligence, and global…
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Don Yeske on Public Service, Courage, and the Changing Face of Government
After more than two decades in uniform and public service, Don Yeske left his leadership post at the Department of Homeland Security over concerns that the…
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Bill Cameron on partner nation cybersecurity, and cyberspace escalation
Retired Navy officer and cybersecurity leader Bill Cameron joins Andy Sauer to discuss the evolving landscape of cyber conflict. From flying helicopters in the…
- The Watchers
Jennifer Ewbank on the CIA, Innovation in AI, and the Race with China
Jennifer Ewbank, former Deputy Director of the CIA for Digital Innovation, joins The Watchers to discuss the intersection of espionage and emerging technology…
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Jack Rhysider on Darknet Diaries, Privacy, and the Future of Cybersecurity
Jack Rhysider, creator of Darknet Diaries, joins The Watchers to talk privacy, hacking culture, and the evolving threats shaping our digital lives. From…
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Tatyana Bolton on Cyber Policy, OT Security, and the Speed of Relevance
In this episode of The Watchers, Andy Sauer sits down with cybersecurity leader Tatyana Bolton. From her unexpected start in acting to shaping national policy…
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Gentry Lane on cyber weapons, national defense, and the race for global cyber power
Cybersecurity strategist Gentry Lane joins The Watchers to unpack why cyber weapons should be treated as real weapons of war. She and Andy Sauer dive into the…
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Nick Andersen on national resilience, priorities, and leading with purpose
Nick Andersen, President and COO of Invictus, joins Andy Sauer to unpack the hard truths about cybersecurity, critical infrastructure, and government…
- The Watchers
Chase Cunningham on zero trust, AI hype, and strategic security thinking
Cybersecurity expert Dr. Chase Cunningham—aka Doctor Zero Trust—joins us for a frank, no-holds-barred discussion on the broken promises of the security…
- The Watchers
Mary O’Brien on Joint Command, Combat Medicine Innovation, and the Ethics of AI
Retired Lt. Gen. Mary O’Brien joins us to explore the future of national security, from modernizing combat medicine to the ethical boundaries of AI. With a…
- The Watchers
Lucian Niemeyer on operational technology, AI, and critical infrastructure
Lucian Niemeyer joins The Watchers to break down the hidden cyber threats embedded in our infrastructure, from water systems to smart homes. He discusses why…
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Bridget Bean on public service and the strategic vision for CISA's future
Bridget Bean, Executive Director & Senior Official Performing the Duties of the Director at the Cybersecurity and Infrastructure Security Agency (CISA), joins…
- The Watchers
Sean Stalzer on energy, cyber war, and securing America’s power grid
Sean Stalzer, CISO, Director of Cyber Security at Dominion Energy, joins The Watchers to discuss how cyber threats from China and Russia target America’s…
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Scott Edwards on CMMC, national security, and the role of MSPs
In this episode of The Watchers, host Andy Sauer sits down with Scott Edwards, CEO of Summit 7 Systems, to discuss the critical role cybersecurity plays in…
- The Watchers
Kat Wang on supply chain, AI, and the mad science of cybersecurity
Kat Wang is a visionary at the forefront of cybersecurity and quantum innovation. With her background at Google and expertise in securing critical…
- The Watchers
Matthew O’Neill on the Secret Service, cybercrime, and disinformation
Matt O’Neill is a former Managing Director of Cyber Operations for the U.S. Secret Service and one of its most decorated agents. With a 25-year career leading…
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Connie Uthoff on geopolitics, cyberwarfare, AI and emerging technologies
Connie Uthoff is the Program Director of the Cybersecurity Strategy and Information Management Program at George Washington University and a frequent United…
- The Watchers
Ron Gula on entrepreneurship, cybersecurity, and fighting disinformation
Ron Gula is a cybersecurity expert, entrepreneur, and co-founder of Tenable Network Security. Currently the President of Gula Tech Adventures, Ron has a wealth…
- The Watchers
Mark Montgomery on the Cyberspace Solarium Commission and our future
Mark Montgomery is a retired Rear Admiral in the U.S. Navy and a renowned expert in national security, defense strategy, and cybersecurity, currently serving…
- The Watchers
Joyce Hunter on FEMA, supply chain security, and feeding the world
Joyce Hunter is the Executive Director of Mission Critical and a dedicated innovator and strategic leader with experience across administrations, nonprofits…
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Carley Salmon on military life, cyber policy, and transcending ‘technical’
Carley Salmon, a cybersecurity data leader at Microsoft Federal Defense and former U.S. Army National Guard Blackhawk pilot has played a large role in shaping…
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Alison King on national security, Volt Typhoon, and the APT threat
Alison King, VP of Government Affairs at Forescout Technologies, is a national security policy trailblazer bridging industry goals with government action. With…
- The Watchers
Candice Frost on leadership, military intelligence, and national security
Candice Frost, a military veteran with over 25 years of service, has built an exceptional career in Military Intelligence, including roles with the 82nd…
- The Watchers
Diane Janosek on resilience, cybersecurity and security evolution
Diane Janosek is the CEO of JANOS and a true champion of the cyber industry. Evolving from her legal career, during which she served the Justice Department and…
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Glenn Gerstell on foreign threats, cyber resilience and conflict readiness
Glenn Gerstell is an American lawyer, technology writer, and former NSA General Counsel. Now a Senior Advisor at the Center for Strategic & International…
- The Watchers
Matt Hayden on CISA, elections, and the national cybersecurity challenge
Matt Hayden is the Vice President of Cyber and Emerging Threats at General Dynamics Information Technology, or GDIT. In his role within GDIT’s Intelligence and…
- The Watchers
Brandon Wales on election security, misinformation and nation state threats
Brandon Wales is the Vice President of Cybersecurity Strategy with SentinelOne, and the former Executive Director of the Cybersecurity and Infrastructure…
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Michael McLaughlin on service, security, and the growing cyber threat
Michael McLaughlin is an attorney and author, who served in the United States Navy and now serves as a critical advisory to industry as we face a growing list…
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Robert Disney on service, sacrifice, artificial intelligence and our future
Robert Disney is a retired Air Force Pararescueman and emerging expert in artificial intelligence. After a military career that saw Robert deployed to combat…
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Bryan Ware on modern conflict, entrepreneurship and emerging technologies
Bryan Ware is an entrepreneur, innovator and technology business leader who served as the first Presidentially appointed Assistant Director of Cybersecurity at…
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Robert Potter on the war in Ukraine, cybersecurity, and the future of tech
Robert Potter is a renowned cybersecurity expert who has spent a career advising governments and institutions on fighting the growing threats in the cyber…
- The Watchers
Renee Wynn on the important mission of NASA, leadership, and optimism
Renee Wynn is a longtime public servant, having spent over 2 decades with the Environmental Protection Agency, before taking on the role of Chief Information…
- The Watchers
Andrew McCabe on Democracy, Cybersecurity, and the work of the FBI
Andrew McCabe became the Acting Director of the FBI in the midst of political controversy when then President Trump fired James Comey. While the turmoil…
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