Ms. Teresa Smetzer is CIA’s Director of Digital Futures in the newly established Directorate of Digital Innovation. She recently returned to CIA after spending 14 years in the private sector as a CEO, business strategist, and investor. In her current role, she leverages her expertise from both the public and private sectors by identifying and developing emergent technologies to solve mission challenges.
Earlier in her career, Ms. Smetzer served 17 years at CIA as a technical analyst and senior manager, participating in and leading multiple transformation-related task forces and programs aimed at modernizing the business of intelligence, including the development of the first Directorate of Intelligence strategic plan. She conceptualized and led an innovative initiative aimed at aligning fragmented intelligence production processes into a secure, web-based, collaborative, real-time production environment. She was awarded CIA’s Distinguished Intelligence Medal in 2001 in recognition for her contributions to the CIA mission.
In 2004, Ms. Smetzer served on the White House Commission on the Intelligence Capabilities of the United States Regarding Weapons of Mass Destruction. Ms. Smetzer then established her own strategic management consulting company, Jasmah Consulting. After her company was purchased in 2008, Ms. Smetzer held senior executive positions in business development and operations in large and small businesses, served on multiple Boards of Directors, and invested in and mentored several emergent technology companies.