Why She Matters
Laetitia “Tish” Long is the fifth director of the National Geospatial-Intelligence Agency, a major Defense Department agency that provides geospatial information to civilian and military authorities for national-security purposes.
Long, who was appointed in August 2010, became the first woman to head an intelligence agency.
“The intelligence and defense communities have gained an incredible range of talents, skills, knowledge and insight by welcoming not only women, but also more minorities, to the field,” Long told CNN. “I believe that when you have a more diverse population exploring any type of intelligence problem, you will develop a broader and deeper range of solutions. I like to refer to that wider scope as ‘cognitive diversity.'”
In Their Own Words
“I was appointed director of the National Geospatial-Intelligence Agency almost three months ago, and I can give you my bottom line now: This is a great agency with a tremendous mission. There is a breadth and depth here that I appreciate more every day, and I think, there is significant, unrealized potential.”
Path To Power
Long was born in Annapolis, Md., and lives in Arlington, VA.
She holds a bachelor’s in electrical engineering from Virginia Tech and a master’s in mechanical engineering from the Catholic University of America. During her long career in the federal government, she has held top research as well as management positions.
U.S. Navy Career
Long started her 32-year career in the U.S. Navy, where in 1978 she became a project engineer in training at the David Taylor Research Center in Annapolis. From 1982 to 1988, she worked on submarine-sensor programs. In 1988, she became director of naval intelligence assigned to manage research-and-development programs.
In 1994, she was appointed director of resource management for the Office of Naval Intelligence, one of the military’s oldest intelligence agencies. In the same period, she also held an appointment as the Navy’s director for requirements, plans, policy and programs.
Defense Intelligence Agency
In 1996, Long joined the DIA as deputy director for information systems and services. During her 14-year career at the agency, she was the first chief information officer to be appointed. From 2000 to 2003, she was deputy director of naval intelligence and later became undersecretary of Defense for intelligence. In 2006, she was appointed deputy director, the second in command at the agency.
The Issues
Long said one of her goals as the head of the National Geospatial-Intelligence Agency (NGA) is to make users approach NGA’s data in an interactive way through open-source databases, technology applications, or “apps,” and an innovative use of social networking.
“I want to take what NGA has done for the user and put that power directly in their hands – on a mobile device or the means of their choosing. And I want to fundamentally change their online experience to one where they can interact with dynamic content and services themselves – if and when they want – through online, on-demand access to global seamless foundation, imagery, product and activity layers,” Long said.
Broader Analytic Expertise
Long wants NGA to provide an analysis of geospatial information able to combine visual data – such as the earth’s physical features – with human geography-related data.
“By moving to more of an anticipatory posture, we can create new value for the policymakers, the warfighters, the intelligence community and first responders. The potential value added is significant: If we can use our GEOINT expertise to focus the national security community on an issue before it becomes a crisis, we will have given everyone the opportunity to leverage their assets more effectively, and we will have given the policymaker valuable time to consider a broader range of policy options,” Long said.
The Network
Defense Secretary Robert Gates and former Obama Director of National Intelligence Dennis Blair appointed Long director of the NGA (Blair was replaced by James R. Clapper). Blair said of Long: “Her strong leadership skills and understanding of the entire intelligence enterprise will ensure that NGA can continue to deliver outstanding information to policy makers and operators in support of our national security objectives.”
Rep. Anna G. Eshoo (D-Calif.), a member of the House Permanent Select Committee on Intelligence, said that Long’s “experience and position make her an important role model for all the women in the intelligence community.”
Campaign Contributions
Federal election records show no campaign contributions by Long.