NICCAE Colloquium

The North Star Intelligence Community Annual Colloquium is a one-day event that brings together leaders, practitioners, and students from across the intelligence, cybersecurity, and national security communities. Hosted each fall by the North Star Intelligence Community Center for Academic Excellence (NICCAE), the colloquium is designed to spark dialogue around evolving national security challenges, showcase career pathways in intelligence, and strengthen connections between academic institutions, government agencies, and the private sector.

Each year’s program features:

• Keynote speakers from the Intelligence Community, military, and national security sectors
  • Panel discussions on topics such as cyber intelligence, emerging threats, and workforce development
  • Networking opportunities to engage with professionals, faculty, and students
  • Lunch and refreshments provided to all registered participants

The inaugural NICCAE colloquium will be held on Friday, September 12, from 11 a.m. to 5 p.m., co-hosted with the Minnesota National Guard. Centered on the theme "Securing the Future: Building the Intelligence Workforce of Tomorrow," this event will explore the current national threat landscape, innovations in cyber intelligence, and career development across public and private intelligence sectors.

This event is free and open to students, faculty, government, private sector professionals, and the broader community. Welcome and luncheon takes place in the New Main Great Hall, with panel discussions in the Founders Hall Auditorium.

Full downloadable event program.

Keynote Speaker

Johanna P. Clyborne — Major General, U.S. Army (retired); Attorney, Brekke, Clyborne & Ribich, LLC

Panel 1: National Threat Landscape and Cyber Intelligence Responses

Moderator: Brian Morgan — Lieutenant Colonel, J3 Director of Cyber Coordination, Minnesota National Guard

• Hannah Connolly — Director of Cyber Threat Intelligence, Target
• Jake Iverson — Supervisory Special Agent, FBI Minneapolis
• Jennifer Lotze — Principal Consultant, IT Audit Labs; former CISA Cybersecurity State Coordinator
• Stef Horvath — CISO, City of St. Paul; U.S. Cyber Command

Panel 2: Intelligence Careers – From Campus to Clearance

Moderator: Vince Peeler — Faculty, Metro State University; Intelligence Officer (retired), U.S. Navy

• Adam Scholze — Lieutenant Colonel, Deputy Director of Intelligence and Security, Minnesota National Guard
• Debra Bennett — Supervisory Intelligence Analyst, FBI Minneapolis
• Eric Lewanski - Lieutenant Colonel, Military Intelligence; Assistant Chief of Staff, G2, 34th Infantry Division, Minnesota National Guard
• Hannah Connolly — Director of Cyber Threat Intelligence, Target
• Steven Witt — CEO, Anno.ai; former CIA Officer

Panel 3: Interdisciplinary Perspectives on Intelligence

Moderator: Jon Olson — Intelligence Officer (retired), U.S. Navy

• Chris Tatarka — Leadership & Organizational Development Consultant; Faculty, Metro State University; Intelligence Officer (retired), U.S. Army; former Threat Intelligence Analyst, U.S. Department of Justice
• Deepak Kukade — Lead Intelligence Analyst, Security Liaison, HSIN-Intel PMO, NFCA Central Region Co-Chair; FBI TFA, Minnesota Fusion Center; Bureau of Criminal Apprehension
• Eric Lewanski - Lieutenant Colonel, Military Intelligence; Assistant Chief of Staff, G2, 34th Infantry Division, Minnesota National Guard
• Vince Peeler — Faculty, Metro State University; Intelligence Officer (retired), U.S. Navy

Panel 4: Building the IC Talent Pipeline – Academic and Agency Partnerships

Moderator: Chris Tatarka — Leadership & Organizational Development Consultant; Faculty, Metro State University; Intelligence Officer (retired), U.S. Army; former Threat Intelligence Analyst, U.S. Department of Justice

• Adam Scholze — Lieutenant Colonel, Deputy Director of Intelligence and Security, Minnesota National Guard
• Deepak Kukade — Lead Intelligence Analyst, Security Liaison, HSIN-Intel PMO, NFCA Central Region Co-Chair; FBI TFA, Minnesota Fusion Center; Bureau of Criminal Apprehension
• Eric Lewanski - Lieutenant Colonel, Military Intelligence; Assistant Chief of Staff, G2, 34th Infantry Division, Minnesota National Guard
• Shervon Cassim — Attorney; former CIA Officer
• Stef Horvath — CISO, City of Saint Paul; U.S. Cyber Command