Jon Darby ’83 to deliver convocation at Carleton College
Jon Darby ’83 recently retired from his position as director of operations for the National Security Agency/Central Security Service (NSA/CSS).
Alum Jon Darby ’83, recently retired director of operations for the National Security Agency/Central Security Service (NSA/CSS), will deliver the convocation address at Carleton College on Friday, Oct. 28 from 10:50 to 11:50 a.m. at Skinner Chapel.
Over the course of almost four decades at the NSA, Darby worked in the field or in operations management for some of the most momentous intelligence operations in U.S. history. In 1983, during the height of the Cold War, Darby began serving in the NSA/CSS as a Russian language analyst. In the 1990s, during the fall of the Soviet Union, he was among a team monitoring signals intelligence. Darby was the leader of intelligence operations associated with the Balkan and Iraq Wars (1990s), the Arab Spring (2010) and the Russian invasion of Ukraine (2022). Darby was an integral part of the operation eliminating Al-Qaeda head Osama bin Laden in 2011, and Al-Qaeda head Ayman al-Zawahiri in 2022. He also led operations around the U.S. election hijacking attempts in 2016 and 2022. He has served as the deputy chief of cybersecurity operations (CSO), as well as the signals intelligence directorate’s deputy director of analysis and production (A&P).
In his address, Darby will share his journey to the NSA, some life lessons learned along the way, and a general overview of what the NSA actually does.
Originally from Montana, Darby graduated from Carleton with a B.A. in political science/international relations and a concentration in Russian studies. From 1985 to 1986 and 1991 to 1992, he attended the Foreign Service Institute in Rosslyn, Va. for instruction in the Polish and Hungarian languages. From 2000 to 2001, he engaged in a variety of courses in the Defense Leadership and Management Program. Most recently, in 2007, Darby graduated from the Kellogg School of Management’s Executive Leadership Program.
Over the duration of his career at the NSA, Darby was awarded two Presidential Meritorious Executive Awards, 170 “challenge coins” from the Department of Defense and the intelligence community, two Distinguished Civilian Service Awards, and an Exceptional Civilian Service Award.
Carleton convocations are free and open to the public. Find upcoming events and archived recordings on the convocations website. For more information, including disability accommodations, call (507) 222-5461.