The CI-Press Podcast

CI Press, Episode 91: CI vs HUMINT: Protecting the Safe or Stealing What's Inside?

In this episode, cohosts Jeremy Clark and Ryan Rambo clearly differentiate counterintelligence (CI) and human intelligence (HUMINT): definitions, core purposes (CI defends inside the wire; HUMINT collects outside), tradecraft, placement vs access, and indicators of espionage like undue affluence, foreign contact, and behavioral changes. They cover practical corporate implications, insider-threat prevention, and the R3 approach — Recognize, React, Report — inviting listener feedback.
 
This is a replay of Episode 17, released in 2025.  

CI Press, Episode 90: Dan Williams - From Mortarman to MARSOC: A Marine’s CI Journey to the Corporate World

In this episode of CI Press, cohosts Ryan Rambo and Dave Turner sit down with Marine Counterintelligence veteran Dan Williams, who shares his unconventional journey from high-school dropout to a highly skilled CI, HUMINT, and technical operator supporting Marine Expeditionary Units, SEAL teams, and MARSOC.
Dan recounts frontline experiences from Kabul and Mosul, breaks down how Marine CI enables special operations and interagency missions, and offers hard-earned guidance for transitioning into the commercial sector—highlighting the importance of mentorship, relationship-building, and delivering real value to employers.

CI Press, Episode 89: Chasing Chi: Inside the FBI Investigation That Reshaped Chinese Counterintelligence Cases

In this episode of CI Press, co-hosts Ryan Rambo and Scott Sparks sit down with retired FBI Supervisory Special Agent James “Jim” Gaylord to unpack his book Chasing Chi and the landmark espionage investigation of Chi Mak.
Jim walks listeners through the painstaking realities of counterintelligence work from opening an Unknown Subject (UNSUB) case and conducting trash pulls and covert entries, to securing FISA warrants and navigating complex courtroom strategy. The conversation highlights how years of disciplined tradecraft, combined with close interagency cooperation across NCIS, ICE, DOJ, and others, ultimately led to multiple espionage-related convictions.
Beyond the case itself, Jim reflects on how the Chi Mak investigation changed the way Chinese espionage cases are pursued, the evolution of CI tools and charging strategies, why prosecution matters as a deterrent, and where counterintelligence efforts must focus in the years ahead.

CI Press, Episode 88: Illicit Massage Businesses, A National Security Blind Spot with special guests Carolina Kallaus, Dr. Kayla Stan, and Youngbee Dale

CI Press examines the growing intersection of illicit massage businesses, human trafficking, and national security near U.S. military facilities. Experts detail how coercion, organized crime, and money laundering create vulnerabilities that jeopardize force protection and operational readiness.
Listeners will learn common indicators of illicit establishments, geographic hotspots, and why awareness and reporting by service members and leaders are critical to protect victims and mitigate counterintelligence risks.

CI Press, Episode 87: From the Cold War through GWOT, 50 Years of Counterintelligence with CW5(R) Mike Maroney

In this episode, hosts Dave Turner and Jeremy Clark sit down with CW5(R) Mike Maroney, a counterintelligence (CI) professional whose career spans five decades. Mike reflects on his journey from the Cold War era through post-9/11 operations, sharing firsthand experiences from Germany, Afghanistan, and the Gulf, along with his pivotal role in shaping CI training, doctrine, and professional standards.
The conversation explores operational milestones such as recruiting sources inside Afghanistan, the impact of the Maroney Report on compromised operations, building Defensive Source Operations training, advising senior leaders, and the enduring principles of tradecraft, mentorship, and professional character that define effective CI professionals.
This episode is a must-listen for anyone interested in counterintelligence, leadership, and the lessons that only decades of service can provide.

CI Press, Episode 86: The Year of Counterintelligence — 2025 Review with IXN

IXN’s 2025 wrap-up examines why this year came to be known as “the year of counterintelligence,” amid growing recognition that traditional, case-by-case approaches are no longer sufficient on their own. The conversation explores the rising prominence of insider threats, persistent fragmentation across counterintelligence (CI) authorities, and the implications of legislative efforts for both government and industry.
Featuring Ryan Rambo, Jeremy Clark, Scott Sparks, Joe Sheridan, and Dave Turner, the episode unpacks enduring structural challenges facing the CI enterprise, including the absence of a clearly designated CI owner, inconsistent standards across agencies, and gaps between policy intent and operational execution. The discussion also highlights emerging tools such as behavior analytics, the need for scalable training and workforce pipelines, and practical, near-term steps organizations can take to strengthen CI posture across the public and private sectors.

CI Press, Episode 85: Two Badges, One Life: An Army Counterintelligence Love Story Part 3

CI Press Podcast — Gwinn Series (Part 3 | Final)
In the final episode of the Gwinn series, Mike and Leslie Gwinn come together to finish the story.  This time side by side.
After hearing their individual perspectives in Parts 1 and 2, this conversation brings those narratives together, complete with good-natured debate, laughter, and differing recollections of the same moments. They poke fun at each other’s memories, compare notes on pivotal decisions, and reflect on how time, distance, and experience reshaped their understanding of events they once lived separately.
Beyond the humor, Mike and Leslie speak candidly about the role of faith during the most challenging periods of their journey - when careers were uncertain, futures unclear, and resilience was tested at both the professional and personal level. They share insights on trust, perseverance, forgiveness, and what it means to rebuild, not just a career, but a life together.
This final episode ties together the human and professional dimensions of counterintelligence introduced throughout the series, offering a rare look at how CI careers impact marriages, families, and identity over time.
As a trilogy, the Gwinn series was intentionally different for CI Press. It’s a reminder that behind every mission, deployment, and clearance decision are people navigating sacrifice, purpose, and commitment often in ways never captured in official histories.
Sometimes the most valuable lessons in counterintelligence aren’t found in doctrine or case studies, but in the lived experiences of those who carried the mission home with them.

CI Press, Episode 84: Two Badges, One Life: An Army Ccounterintelligence Love Story Part 2

CI Press Podcast — Gwinn Series (Part 2)
Following yesterday’s episode from Leslie Gwinn’s perspective, Part 2 of the CI Press Gwinn series turns to the other side of the story.
In this episode, Mike Gwinn shares his journey through military intelligence and counterintelligence covering early career development, deployments to Kosovo and Iraq, a significant career setback that led to discharge, and his determined return to service through the National Guard and U.S. Army Special Operations Command (USASOC).
Where Part 1 explored the family impact of the counterintelligence life, Part Two examines the professional pressures behind it: leadership under stress, identity after failure, resilience in the face of career disruption, and the long road of rebuilding trust and purpose.
Mike also reflects on how counterintelligence work evolved over two decades, and what those changes meant for those doing the job on the ground both in uniform and beyond it.
Together, Parts 1 and 2 set the stage for the final episode, where Leslie and Mike come together to compare perspectives, lessons learned, and the realities of navigating a CI career as a team.

CI Press, Episode 83: Two Badges, One Life: An Army Counterintelligence Love Story Part 1

CI Press Podcast — Special 3-Part Series (Part 1)
This episode marks the beginning of a special three-part CI Press series - one that steps slightly outside our usual analytic lane to tell a story that’s just as central to the counterintelligence profession.
In Part 1, Leslie Gwinn shares her personal CI journey at Fort Huachuca and Korea to life as the spouse of an Army counterintelligence agent. She offers a candid look at the realities behind the mission - training pipelines, deployments, constant transitions, and the quiet sacrifices made far from briefing rooms and secure facilities.
Leslie’s story isn’t about tradecraft or threat actors. It’s about the human dimension of counterintelligence: family decisions, resilience, missed moments, and the hard choices that shape both careers and marriages in this line of work.
This episode is intentionally different. As we head into Christmas, we wanted to pause and reflect on the people who stand beside CI professionals - the partners and families whose support makes the mission possible, even when the cost is high.
Part 2 will feature Mike Gwinn’s perspective, followed by Part 3, where Leslie and Mike come together to compare notes, experiences, and lessons learned from both sides of the CI life.
Sometimes the most important stories aren’t classified, but they are rarely told.

CI Press, Episode 82: China’s Long Game, Inside Espionage, Academia & National Security with Special Guest Nick Eftimiadis

Hosts Dave Turner and Jeremy Clark sit down with Nick Eftimiadis, a former CIA, DSS, and DIA intelligence professional and current Penn State professor, for an in-depth conversation on the strategic depth and persistence of Chinese intelligence operations. Drawing on decades of operational and academic experience, Eftimiadis breaks down how the Chinese Communist Party leverages espionage, influence operations, and talent acquisition to advance long-term national objectives.
The episode explores the growing counterintelligence risks within U.S. academia and industry, the vulnerabilities surrounding emerging and critical technologies, and why the United States needs a cohesive, whole-of-government counterintelligence strategy to compete effectively. The discussion also examines China’s use of the Belt and Road Initiative as a tool of geopolitical influence, escalating cross-strait tensions with Taiwan, and the implications for U.S. national security.
Listeners will gain practical, actionable insights tailored for counterintelligence, security, and insider-threat professionals, including how to shift from reactive defenses to proactive and offensive CI postures in an era of strategic competition.