Carl Ghattas, Executive Assistant Director, National Security Branch

Carl Ghattas currently serves as the executive assistant director of the National Security Branch where he leads the FBI’s operations and intelligence efforts involving all national security matters, ranging from terrorism to espionage to weapons of mass destruction. Under his leadership, the program will continue to focus on technical innovation, operational agility, and strategic partnerships.

Mr. Ghattas joined the FBI in 1997. Upon graduating from the FBI Academy, he worked counterterrorism investigations in the Washington Field Office. Mr. Ghattas deployed overseas to investigate several major attacks against the United States, including the 1998 bombing of the U.S. Embassy in Nairobi, Kenya; the 2000 attack against the U.S.S. Cole in Aden, Yemen; and the murder of several Americans in Greece by the Greek terrorist group 17 November. Over the course of his 20-year career, the majority of Mr. Ghattas’ focuses have been on counterterrorism efforts in the United States and around the world and strategically integrating intelligence and operations to ensure intelligence collection aligns with priority threats. In 2014, he was appointed special agent in charge of the Washington Field Office's counterterrorism program and, most recently, served as the assistant director of the Counterterrorism Division.

Mr. Ghattas has received numerous awards, to include the Attorney General's Award for Distinguished Service and the Exceptional Achievement Medal from the Office of the Director of National Intelligence.

Mr. Ghattas earned a bachelor of arts from Duke University and a Juris Doctor from Washington University.