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Joe Zacks

Examiner · DISC type cs
Adjunct Fellow at Foundation for Defense of Democracies (FDD)
📍 McLean, Virginia, United States

Joe Zacks is the Co-founder of Aardwolf Global Solutions, drawing on over 42 years of national security experience. A retired Army Lieutenant Colonel and former CIA Deputy Assistant Director for Counterterrorism, he holds a Masters in Public Policy from Duke University and contributes national security analysis for CBS News.

Outside of his primary professional roles, Joe is an avid reader and reviewer of books, with a particular focus on spy novels and works concerning military history and national security. His career has included extensive international postings in Germany, South Korea, India, the Middle East, and South Asia.

Unique fact: Joe has served as a CIA Chief of Station three separate times, including at a flagship station in South Asia.

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Experience
34 Years
Current Role
Adjunct Fellow
Job Level
Mid-senior
Location
McLean, Virginia, United States
Personality Overview

How Joe shows up

Unexpressive
Overcautious
Late Adopter

They are heavily focused on quality and prefer doing things the right way, even if it takes time. The only way to convince them is by showing them examples and ample proof. They do not like taking risks at all and go for proven options in the end.

Priorities

Topics Joe cares about

Counterterrorism Strategy
His career culminated as the CIA's Deputy Assistant Director for Counterterrorism, and he frequently provides analysis on the topic for major news outlets.
Middle East Geopolitics
Writes and speaks extensively on Iran and regional security, drawing from his experience as Chief of Station in the Middle East and as a fellow at FDD.
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Career

Work history

1-2026
Adjunct Fellow
Foundation for Defense of Democracies (FDD)
1-2026
CBS News National Security Contributor
CBS News
1-2026
Subject Matter Expert
The Cipher Brief
12-2025
Co-Founder and Managing Partner
Aardwolf Global Solutions
11-2025
Managing Partner
Compass Rose Strategic Consulting, LLC
In the press

Media appearances

Joseph Zacks - FDD. Featured in Foundation for Defense of Democracies (FDD)
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Education
1990 - 1992
Masters in Public Policy
Duke University
Certified Financial Planner
Georgetown University
Social presence
in
Behavioral profile

DISC profile (public)

c

Calculativeness (C)

Calculativeness (C) reflects the degree to which a person is likely to be cautious, systematic and analytical. Those scoring high tend to emphasise quality and accuracy.

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