Valerie Plame

Valerie Plame is a former CIA Covert Operations Officer whose career was defined by the high-stakes mission of preventing the world’s most dangerous weapons from falling into the wrong hands.

For two decades, she operated in the "gray zone" of international affairs, managing top-secret programs to intercept nuclear technology and briefing U.S. policymakers on the front lines of national security. Today, she translates that elite field experience into powerful insights for global audiences on risk analysis, crisis management, and the ethical imperatives of leadership.

As the New York Times best-selling author of "Fair Game: My Life as a Spy, My Betrayal by the White House," Plame’s personal and professional story became a global catalyst for discussions on transparency and government accountability. Her narrative was further immortalized in the major motion picture starring Naomi Watts and Sean Penn. Beyond her memoir, she has authored the "Vanessa Pierson" thriller series, including "Blowback" and "Burned," which use fiction to expose the visceral, often harrowing reality of modern espionage.

A seasoned voice in the media and on the lecture circuit, Plame has addressed prestigious institutions ranging from Yale University and West Point to the Aspen Ideas Festival. She is the founder and host of the "Spies, Lies & Nukes conference, a premier gathering that brings together the world's leading intelligence professionals to discuss national security issues in an atmosphere that both educates and entertains. Whether narrating the award-winning documentary "Countdown to Zero" or writing for Foreign Policy and The Washington Post, she remains at the forefront of the fight for nuclear non-proliferation.

Plame holds a Master of Science from the London School of Economics and a Master of Arts from the College of Europe. She currently serves as a member of the Council on Foreign Relations and continues to advocate for civic engagement and national security from her home in New Mexico.