After alumnus Konrad Brayer’s time at Embry-Riddle Aeronautical University, he has excelled in a career within the Department of State's Bureau of Diplomatic Security as a Western Hemisphere Analyst. He attributes a great deal of his success to the knowledge he gained from Global Security and Intelligence Studies professors who possessed practical and industry experience in his field.
What did you major in, and when did you graduate?
I majored in Global Security and Intelligence Studies and graduated in December 2021.
What is your current title/role? What does your day-to-day look like in this role?
My current title is Western Hemisphere Analyst for the U.S. Department of State, OSAC. Located within the Department of State's Bureau of Diplomatic Security, OSAC keeps the U.S. government connected with U.S. organizations operating abroad for ongoing threat awareness and crisis support. Through trusted peer network groups, consultations, events, alerts and intelligence analysis, OSAC’s goal is to protect U.S. public and private-sector interests overseas.
I am the OSAC analyst covering South America and the Caribbean. In this role, I produce intelligence products for government entities and private companies with travel, personnel or operations abroad. My products cover everything from crime and economics to health risks and transportation concerns, and I am available to these consumers for ad-hoc or operation-specific inquiries. I also produce publicly available country security reports for nations in my region and present intelligence findings to a wide range of audiences in the U.S. and abroad. On a given day, I may produce an intelligence product on terrorism in Colombia, liaise with embassy security staff in Argentina and present crisis information to a Fortune-50 executive with operations in Trinidad and Tobago.
What initially drew you to Embry-Riddle Aeronautical University?
There were only a few universities offering an intelligence program when I was looking, and I toured most of them. Meeting Professor Hooper on my tour and getting to speak to him about his experience and his teaching philosophy really stuck with me, and I made the decision to attend Embry-Riddle shortly after.
How did CBSI prepare you for this career opportunity?
CBSI’s strongest asset is the faculty. Because most of the professors are also practitioners, the information and guidance they can provide is unmatched. Learning to write analysis products from former intelligence community analysts and understanding crisis management from those who have actually managed crises before is something few institutions can offer. The classes in the Global Security and Intelligence Studies program were top-notch and gave me the ability to truly hit the ground running in the industry.
How did you know you wanted to work in your current role/industry?
I wanted to find a field that combined critical thinking, writing, global events and understanding people. Intelligence was a natural fit.
Did you have a professor who made a lasting impact on you? Who, and why?
There were many professors who left a lasting impact. Professor Bloom was a legend in the field of psychology and a fantastic mentor. Professor Hooper and Professor Avery are both incredible teachers and gave me practical information on analysis, counterintelligence and crisis response that I use daily. Professor Saquella provided me with the ability to navigate the corporate security and intelligence world — skills I needed early on in my career.
What is one piece of advice you would give to today’s college students?
Use your networks! I know everyone tells you that college is about who you meet, but that advice is especially true at Embry-Riddle. The faculty have lots of useful information about the field, and alumni are actively working in pretty much any job you could want in government or the private sector. I’ve never met an Eagle who isn’t willing to help when you ask, but you have to ask.
Also, find a friend with a car and get out of Prescott once in a while. Arizona has a lot to explore if you can take a day trip!
Last question: If you had to name your favorite thing at Embry-Riddle, what would you choose?
My favorite academic topic was the Global Security and Intelligence Studies Capstone Project. It was a great opportunity to work with fellow students on a project with such an expansive scale.
My favorite non-academic topic was Prescott’s location. You can go downtown to hang out with friends, drive down to Phoenix for the state fair, head up to Flagstaff to ski, take a trip to the Grand Canyon for hiking and have a bonfire just a few miles from campus. The area really is what you make of it!