Lt. Gen. (Ret.) Karen Gibson

Lieutenant General (Ret.) Karen H. Gibson is a national security leader who has rebuilt institutions under pressure, led intelligence organizations in war and crisis, and advised senior decision-makers at the highest levels of government on global risk.

Over a 37-year public service career, first as a U.S. Army intelligence officer and later as Sergeant at Arms of the United States Senate, Karen led intelligence and cyber operations in Iraq, Afghanistan, Korea, and East Africa. She culminated her military service as Deputy Director of National Intelligence after serving as Director of Intelligence for U.S. Central Command, where she led nearly 2,000 professionals supporting operations across the Middle East. She also directed intelligence for the multinational coalition to defeat the Islamic State caliphate and served as Deputy Commanding General of U.S. Army Cyber Command.

Following the January 6 attack on the U.S. Capitol, Karen was asked to serve as Sergeant at Arms of the U.S. Senate, where she transformed the Senate’s security, continuity, and cybersecurity programs, restoring operational confidence and modernizing protection for Members, staff, and facilities nationwide.

Today, Karen speaks candidly about leadership under pressure, institutional reform, and decision-making in ambiguity. She also addresses geopolitical risk, strategic competition, cyber threats, emerging technologies, and the implications of global instability for corporations, investors, and policymakers. Drawing on decades of intelligence experience, she translates complex global dynamics into clear insights about risk, resilience, and opportunity in an era of technological disruption and strategic rivalry.

A Montana native, she holds a B.S. in Industrial Engineering from Purdue University and master’s degrees in national security studies. She has taught national security strategy at Georgetown University and received an honorary doctorate from the National Intelligence University.

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