The Intelligence and National Security Alliance (INSA) will hold its 5th Annual Achievement Awards ceremony Thursday, Nov. 13, at the Mandarin Oriental Hotel in Washington, D.C. The ceremony will honor six professionals in the intelligence and national security sectors for their professional contributions to the community.
Lt. Gen. Mary Legere, Deputy Chief of Staff for Intelligence in the U.S. Army, will deliver the keynote address.
WashingtonExec spoke with award recipients about their nominations, what it means to them, their mission and more.
Today’s featured interview is with Amy B. Pittman, Supervisory Special Agent with the Federal Bureau of Investigation. She is the recipient of the Joan A. Dempsey Mentorship Award.
WashingtonExec: Did you know you were nominated for the award or was it a surprise?
Amy B. Pittman: I did not know I was nominated and was surprised and humbled when I learned I had received the Joan A. Dempsey Mentorship Award.
WashingtonExec: Have you prepared a speech, or do you plan on saying the first thing that comes to mind?
Amy B. Pittman: I have an idea of who I’d like to thank.
WashingtonExec: Finish the sentence: The best part of about my job is…
Amy B. Pittman: … that I get the opportunity to work with the most amazing people across the entire Intelligence Community.
WashingtonExec: What is one aspect of your job that you did not expect or anticipate when you were first brought on?
Amy B. Pittman: When I became a Special Agent I never thought I would leave the U.S. I’ve since had the opportunity to live, work and teach all over the world.
WashingtonExec: What is something you are most proud of, personally?
Amy B. Pittman: I am most proud of my family, particularly my children. Personally, I am proud of becoming an FBI Certified Intelligence Officer; it was like getting a lifetime achievement award.
WashingtonExec: What organizations are you involved with outside of work?
Amy B. Pittman: I am a devout Catholic, and I try to support local outreach and volunteer services in my area.
WashingtonExec: What more do you think organizations in the intelligence community should be doing to engage the millennial workforce?
Amy B. Pittman: This is a vibrant, self confident, progressive generation willing and able to hit the ground running. We should be supportive of their ambitions and proud to have them excel.
WashingtonExec: Who is someone you admire or who has been a mentor to you throughout your career?
Amy B. Pittman: I have been blessed with amazing mentors in my career, in management, as well as within the ranks. I also have a spiritual director who keeps me grounded. He once told me that to mentor is to help someone better themselves and surpass even what you yourself have done. What better gift can we offer than this.
WashingtonExec: In your opinion, what are the top three qualities that every mentor should have?
Amy B. Pittman: A mentor needs to be good listener, someone who leads by example and is trustworthy: Fidelity Bravery and Integrity (FBI).
WashingtonExec: How have you worked to be a mentor in your organization and who do you consider your professional mentors?
Amy B. Pittman: I have found people within the Intelligence Community whom I regularly bounce ideas and questions off; I trust them and their advice is sound. I try to encourage young intelligence professions to set their goals high and to accomplish smaller goals along the way. I also am a training agent in the field for new agents once they graduate from the FBI Academy in Quantico.
WashingtonExec: How has the Intelligence Community changed since you entered?
Amy B. Pittman: The growth of interagency cooperation has been monumental.
