Joseph Waterman - Managing Director/CEO

Prior to his recent retirement from the State Department, Zach served on the senior leadership team as the Regional Security Officer in Phnom Penh, Cambodia.  He began working for the Diplomatic Security Service in 2004.  He led security operations at U.S. Missions Karachi, Baghdad, Ashgabat, Moscow, and Erbil, as well as in Washington with the office of Protective Intelligence Investigations, Mobile Security Deployments, and Miami. Prior to joining the Foreign Service, Zach was a special agent with the Environmental Protection Agency (’02-’04), a Border Patrol Agent (’97-’02), and a Marine Security Guard and infantry Marine (’92-’96). He has a B.S. in Criminal Justice and an MPA in Business & Government Relations from Park, and a certificate in strategic leadership from Georgetown.

Mr. Austin is a retired career CIA Paramilitary Operations Officer who retired in 2021 after 34 years of civilian and military service. 

Mr. Austin served as a senior leader in various CIA positions and has operational experience in Africa, the Balkans, Latin America and the Near East, to include multiple tours in Afghanistan and Iraq. Mr. Austin is broadly experienced in field operations, covert action and training. He has worked extensively with the Intelligence and Military communities, including JSOC and SOCOM. 

Between the years of his military and civilian government service Mr. Austin worked for a security company overseas and was a private investigator in Chicago.