Tracy Walder
Tracy Walder
Two weeks after graduating from USC, Tracy Walder began her career as a Staff Operations Officer in the Central Intelligence Agency’s Counterterrorism Center before, during and after September 11th 2001, and as Special Agent at the FBI. During her time at the CIA, Tracy lived in and travelled to countries in the Middle East, Africa, and Europe as well as served in war zones such as Afghanistan. After the CIA, Tracy became a Special Agent at the FBI’s Los Angeles Field Office, Santa Ana Resident Agency.
Following her time at the CIA and FBI, Tracy Walder received her master’s in teaching at Chapman University and began teaching history and a course created for young women on national security and global policy at high schools in California and Texas. Tracy now works as an adjunct instructor of Criminal Justice at Texas Christian University, is the national security contributor for News Nation and appeared on the Discovery Channel’s Lost Monster Files, the History Channel, and the Discovery Channel. She is currently the star of the number one documentary on Netflix American Manhunt: Osama Bin Laden.
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A highly entertaining account of a young woman who went straight from her college sorority to the CIA, where she hunted terrorists and WMDs
"Reads like the show bible for Homeland only her story is real." —Alison Stewart, WNYC
"A thrilling tale...Walder’s fast-paced and intense narrative opens a window into life in two of Americ...Read More
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Understanding the Role That Failed States Play in the Perpetuation of Terrorism
Tracy takes the audience through a “walk” of failed states (Somalia, Yemen, Syria, Iraq, etc.) and shows them the new terrorist groups that emerged from each.
No One Cares What You Have to Say: Understanding the True Role of Electronic Surveillance in the 21st Century
Tracy provides the audience with information as to how signals intelligence is really used and why the government cannot possibly listen to every conversation. She also discusses Chinese espionage (from her time at the FBI) and how they are particularly engaging in the theft of intellectual property rather than spying in the classical sense.
Armed, Pink, and Blonde: Why Society Has a Difficult Time Accepting the Dichotomy of Femininity and Special Ops
Tracy discusses why, during her time both at the FBI academy and then as an agent, she was constantly told to act more masculine despite passing all her tests and being the only woman in her class not to fail out.
Why a Former FBI Agent and CIA Officer Does Not Think Teachers Should Be Armed
Tracy helps the audience understand that arming teachers is far more than training them how to shoot a gun. That is the easy part. Situational awareness is the driving factor as to whether someone will use a gun in a violent situation. This training takes years, and most people cannot complete it.
The Real Roots of Al Qaida
Why Not? How a One-Word Question Can Hold Us Back From Achieving Our Full Potential
“The War On Terrorism, Through The Eyes Of 3 Women At The CIA”
“New book follows 1 woman’s real-life journey from sorority to spy”
“How Tracy Walder went from sorority sister to hunting down the world’s most wanted terrorists”
“New EarBurner: Ex-CIA, FBI Agent Tracy Walder Talks About Her New Memoir”
“How a sorority girl ended up taking down the world’s most notorious terrorists”
“Baltimore Writers’ Club: A Q&A with Jessica Anya Blau and Tracy Walder about ‘The Unexpected Spy’”
Bestselling author Lee Woodruff featured The Unexpected Spy in her February newsletter.
“Tracy Walder’s journey from a USC Delta Gamma to the CIA”
“Hidden Heroes in a Sexist World.”
“Your Hockaday Student May Have Been Taught By a Spy”
Follow Tracy Walder on Twitter and check out her personal website.
“Some of the standout speakers included Tracy Walder, a former CIA/FBI counter-terrorism agent turned high school history teacher. She used her unusual career path to illustrate the importance of living an authentic life and not being held back by ‘why.'”
—KERA, PBS, NPR of North Texas from TEDx2012“Girl Up is a global movement of empowered young women leaders who defend gender equality. Through leadership development training, Girl Up gives girls the resources and platform to start a movement for social change wherever they are. Tracy is an inspiration to girls across the globe. She is the living example of what girls and women can do when they don’t take no for an answer.”
—Katherine K., staff leader at North Texas Girl Up Summit 2019Praise for North Texas High School International Career Day
“I loved listening to the session led by Mrs. Tracy Walder! She was so informative and fun to listen to. It was very interesting to see the impact all the speakers have made in our DFW community.”
“Mrs. Tracy Walder was my favorite speaker. Her topic intrigued me and her personality made her so much fun to listen to!”
“Tracy Walder was my favorite. I identified with her experiences as a woman in a male-dominated field, and I appreciated her use of ‘Day in the Life’ descriptions to expand upon what her job entailed.”
“I liked the CIA and FBI lady; her story was just very interesting and her personality is infectious.”
“Before today, I didn’t think that as a female, this was something that I could pursue as a career, and if you told me I could change someone’s life I would not have believed you— but now, I can see how much I can actually do in the world with my passion of humanitarianism, as well as my creativity!”
Praise for The Unexpected Spy
“Walder spins a thrilling tale in her debut memoir of her life in the CIA and FBI. [Her] fast-paced and intense narrative opens a window into life in two of America’s major intelligence agencies.”
—Publishers Weekly, STARRED REVIEW“In this debut memoir, Walder brings a you-are-there intimacy to her accounts.”
—Kirkus Reviews“Walder’s candid story will connect with readers curious about counterterrorism work and seeking an inspirational account of a woman seeking to change the balance of power in not only a male-dominated field but the world.”
—Library Journal“With coauthor [Jessica Anya] Blau, [Tracy] Walder has created a well-written, engaging memoir, a serious and candid inside view of two enigmatic and significant institutions from a woman’s perspective, and a powerful tool for Walder’s hoped-for ‘revolution.'”
—Booklist“Tracy Walder’s The Unexpected Spy is an engaging and thoughtful story of service that will inspire generations of young women to come. Tracy’s story is particularly moving because it provides a candid but often untold account of the challenges of serving one’s nation amid tumultuous times. As a woman in national security, Tracy offers a glimpse into the rewards and risks of actualizing a dream in a male-dominated space.”
—Lauren Bean Buitta, Founder, Girl Security“Wow! I thoroughly enjoyed Tracy Walder’s unique perspective; it will be inspiring to so many, especially young women with an interest in national security. I couldn’t help but compare it to some of my own experiences in the CIA, particularly her exhaustion working counterterrorism, her sense of betrayal in wartime, and her feelings of responsibility after a large-scale attack. I admire Walder’s ability to channel those challenges into a positive force. A force for change.”
—Sarah M. Carlson, Former CIA officer and author of In The Dark Of War“The Unexpected Spy will get wide attention, and deserves it. It will give readers a different, more vivid, and more human idea of the actual work of spying, counter-intelligence, and dealing with terrorism. It will be especially important to young women who are considering this kind of career.”
—James Fallows at The Atlantic, author of Blind Into Baghdad“Tracy Walder has a unique combination of immense courage along with compassion and humanity… This book will be an inspiration to anyone who picks it up.”
—Ellen Pompeo, actress, director, producer“A compelling and well-written memoir that takes the reader on a journey from the CIA’s ‘Farm’ and its ‘black sites’ to the FBI’s training academy.”
—Peter Bergen, author of Manhunt: The Ten-Year Search for bin Laden from 9/11 to AbbottabadBook This Speaker
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