(TOMS RIVER, NJ) -- In 2001, FBI counterterrorism and counterintelligence operative Eric O’Neill helped capture the most notorious spy in United States history: Robert Hanssen, a 25-year veteran of the bureau. The remarkable true events of his life are the inspiration behind the critically acclaimed dramatic thriller Breach. On Tuesday, November 9, the Ocean County College Foundation’s Blauvelt Speaker Series will welcome O’Neill – an attorney, author, cybersecurity expert, and now-former FBI operative – for a virtual talk.Â
Attendance for the livestream event, which begins at 11:00am, is free and open to the public. Advance registration is required. Register online at grunincenter.org.
O’Neill – who began his career in the FBI as a graduate of the service’s Intelligence Program – is a founder of The Georgetown Group, a premier investigative and security consultancy, where he specializes in counterintelligence operations, investigations into economic espionage, cyber security penetrations, internal investigations, catching the trusted insider, and security risk assessment consulting out of Washington, D.C. He is also the National Security Strategist for Carbon Black, the leader in next generation endpoint protection, where he provides insight and advice on strategic cybersecurity issues. Â
He is also the author of Gray Day, the thrilling story of how O’Neill helped take down notorious FBI mole Hanssen, the first Russian cyberspy. In addition, O’Neill has appeared as a national security expert on CNN and Fox, and his writing has appeared in the Boston Globe, The Hill, TechCrunch, and Mashable.Â
O’Neill is a graduate of Auburn University and the George Washington University School of Law. Â
The Blauvelt Speaker Series is funded in part by the Blauvelt Fund, the Ocean County College Foundation, and the Wintrode Family Foundation. This year’s 2021 additional sponsors include Dr. Helen M. Earles; Judi and Stephan Leone; New Jersey Natural Gas; Novins, York, Jacobus and Dooley; and Arlene and Frank Dupignac, Jr.Â
