Texas A&M University’s Bush School of Government and Public Service is pleased to announce the continued expansion of its Diana Davis Spencer Program in National Security at its Washington, D.C., teaching site known as the Bush School DC.
The Bush School DC recently added three national security and intelligence experts to its Intelligence Studies graduate degree program, each bringing a wealth of knowledge and expertise to provide students with unique insights.
- Linda Weissgold served as the CIA Director for Analysis between 2020 and 2023. During her 37-year career, she also served as President George W. Bush’s intelligence briefer and as the head of CIA’s Office of Terrorism Analysis. Beginning in fall 2024, she will be teaching an Advanced Analytics course at Bush School DC.
- Andrew Makridis also served in the intelligence community for 37 years, culminating in his position from 2018 to 2022 as the CIA Chief Operating Officer, the number three position at the agency. He also led the agency’s Weapons and Counter Proliferation Mission Center, Foreign Weapons Analysis Center and East Asia, Africa, and Latin America Analysis Office. In spring 2023, he began teaching a course on Strategic Intelligence.
- Mark Zaid is the founding partner of Mark S. Zaid, PC, a practice focused on national security law. He represents intelligence and military officers, whistleblowers, and other federal employees. In 2024, Zaid was named one of Forbes’ top 200 attorneys in the country for his work in national security. Washingtonian Magazine has also recognized him as a “Best Lawyer.” Zaid began teaching a National Security Law course in spring 2023.
Gary Ross, director of Intelligence Studies at the Bush School DC, noted, “In addition to our outstanding full-time faculty, Bush School students have the opportunity to study with world-renowned experts in their field, such as Linda, Andrew and Mark. Our students will not only be among the most prepared to enter careers in public service but are positioning themselves to become the next generation of national security and intelligence leaders.”
As the Washington, D.C., teaching site of Texas A&M University’s Bush School of Government and Public Service, the Bush School DC began classes in January 2021 to provide graduate education in the fields of international affairs and national security and intelligence. Students learn from distinguished academics and professors of practice who are experts in their respective fields while drawing on the many benefits of the Bush School DC’s presence in the nation’s capital.
“The Bush School DC continues to make its mark in Washington,” said Bush School DC Executive Director Jay Silveria. “Backed by the stellar reputation of Texas A&M’s Bush School in College Station, along with the many opportunities our D.C. students have by simply being in the center of our country’s government operations, and of course the legacy of our namesake, President George H.W. Bush, we are fortunate to have experienced such remarkable growth in just a few short years. The addition of Linda, Andrew and Mark exemplifies the caliber of educational experience our students receive.”
To learn more about the Bush School D.C. visit bush.tamu.edu/dc/
