Designing and Recruiting an Intelligence-Led Security Team

In its nearly one-hundred-year existence, the Walt Disney Company continues to capture the attention of people across the globe as one of the most recognizable brands in existence. The company’s growth over the years has expanded well beyond amusement parks into cruise lines, hotels, and media and entertainment. This growth has created a need for strong security to keep people (including employees and customers), facilities and assets safe. Because of this, the leader behind its threat intelligence team has one of the most demanding roles in the industry. Angela Lewis, Manager of the Global Intelligence and Threat Analysis Team, knows that no one day at Disney is the same, and it’s integral to recruit a team that is flexible to meet these demands. In this episode, she shares with Fred what went into building her team, what she looks for in recruiting new team members, and why successful analysts do far more than analyze. She also discusses what keeps her up at night and advice to others who are building out (or developing) their own team. Prior to joining the private sector, Angela served as a Senior Counterterrorism Targeting Officer in the CIA’s Directorate of Operations, including serving two tours abroad in Central Europe and in the Middle East. She is nearing the completion of her Ph.D. in Global Leadership from Pepperdine University; her dissertation focuses on building and leveraging intelligence teams in the private sector. For more information, check out Angela’s Protective Intelligence Honors profile.