Featured
The Potomac Institute for Policy Studies is pleased to announce that Brian J. Morra has been named a Senior Fellow and Member of the Board of Regents. Mr. Morra serves as Sector Vice President, Strategic Planning, for the Electronic Systems Sector of Northrop Grumman Corporation.
Regarding Mr. Morra's appointment, Potomac Institute Chairman and CEO Michael Swetnam noted, "Brian Morra has decades of experience in the Defense Industrial Base. He has extensive experience in National Security, Intelligence, and defense manufacturing. He brings this experience combined with great foresight to the Institute at a time when we are increasing our presence in the National Security and Intelligence fields. Brian's advice and counsel have guided me personally for decades, and it is my great pleasure to welcome him to the Potomac Institute family."
Read more: Brian J. Morra Is Named Senior Fellow and Member, Board of Regents
Potomac Institute for Policy Studies Senior Fellow Amb. David Smith (Ret.) is the Director of the Potomac Institute Cyber Center. He is a cyber security and cyber policy analyst, and a former US arms negotiator. In an interview with Federal News Radio, he reacted to Defense Secretary Leon Panetta's comments warning that a cyber "Pearl Harbor" could be coming if the US doesn't pay more attention to cyber defense. Click here to read and listen to the story on the Federal News Radio website.
The Potomac Institute for Policy Studies is pleased to announce that Courtney Merriman has been promoted to the position of Research Associate. Ms. Merriman joined the Institute as a Research Assistant in 2009.
Regarding Ms. Merriman's promotion, Dwight Lyons, Director of the Concepts & Analyses Division, commented, "Courtney has taken on increasingly challenging tasks at the Potomac Institute, and has just completed a major milestone by successfully leading the most complex analytic task we have undertaken in the Concepts & Analyses Division. Congratulations to her on a well-deserved and thoroughly-earned promotion."
Ms. Merriman said, "I very much appreciate this promotion and the new responsibilities associated with the position. I look forward to new and more challenging opportunities while continuing my work in the Concepts & Analyses Division.”
Read more: Courtney Merriman Named Research Associate, Concepts & Analyses Division
Prof. Yonah Alexander, PhD, is Director of the International Center for Terrorism Studies at the Potomac Institute for Policy Studies. In an op-ed for The Jerusalem Post, he writes that as the international community considers the establishment of "red lines" for aggressive behavior by nations, it should establish just such a line prohibiting the exploitation of religion to do harm. "In the face of the unprecedented contemporary challenge of the 'religionization' of politics and its grave humanitarian and strategic implications," Prof. Alexander writes, "it behooves the international community to draw a red line of unacceptable behavior in the name of religion for any cause." Click here to read the article in full.
Senior Vice President of Academic Programs and Research Jamie Barnett, Jr., RDML USNR (Ret.), recently served in an IPA assignment as Chief of the Federal Communications Commission's Public Safety and Homeland Security Bureau (PSHSB), where he was active in promoting cyber security issues. RDML Barnett was a featured speaker at an October 1-3 Military Cyber Security Symposium in Arlington, VA, that brought together leaders from the intelligence community, the Pentagon, and industry. His talk was on “Cyber Policy Development & Decision Making at the Highest Levels of Government.” Click on the attachment below to view slides from the presentation.