Amy Hess dreamed – as a child – of being an astronaut. A star student and athlete in high school, she studied aeronautical and astronautical engineering at Purdue – though poor eyesight dashed her NASA dreams. Instead, Amy got her start in the FBI as a special agent in Kansas City, working violent crime. She rose quickly through FBI ranks to run the Memphis and Louisville field offices, and to run two large FBI divisions at headquarters, where she oversaw FBI technology in one job and the FBI’s criminal and cyber work, in another. Those jobs made her the highest-ranking woman in FBI history. Today, Amy is back home as the Chief of Public Safety for Louisville, Kentucky – across the Ohio River from the small Indiana town in which she grew up.
Following the tragic March 13 shooting of Breonna Taylor in Louisville this year, and after we recorded this episode, Amy was named to lead police reform efforts in that city – to reduce use of force incidents, to review police policies and training, and to make recommendations on police disciplinary matters by establishing an Independent Civilian Review Board.
Amy shares with host Chuck Rosenberg fascinating stories of her work as an FBI special agent, including at the site of the horrific 1995 domestic terrorism attack at the Murrah Federal Building in Oklahoma City. If you have thoughtful feedback on this episode or others, please email us at theoathpodcast@gmail.com.
Leon Panetta: Worthy Fights
Introducing: Season 3
A Message from Chuck Rosenberg
Roberta Jacobson: The Ambassador
John Pistole: Full Circle
Jeremy Bash: Central Intelligence
Bob Paulson: The Mountie
James Stavridis: Fair Winds and Following Seas
Anthony Williams: The Mayor
Joyce Vance: Sweet Home
Kathy Ruemmler: The Counsel
William McRaven: Send Me
Rob Spencer: Remember
Preview: Season 2
James Comey: Upward Sloping Line
Patrick Fitzgerald: The Right Thing
Barbara McQuade: Greed and Power
Nicolle Wallace: Lottery Tickets
Sally Yates: Decisions
James Baker: Going Dark
Create your
podcast in
minutes
It is Free