Robert Cardillo

Robert Cardillo is the president of The Cardillo Group, LLC. Founded in May 2019, The Cardillo Group delivers strategic consultation services dedicated to the growth and development of the intelligence profession to secure and defend the American way of life. The Cardillo Group’s portfolio consists of academic, non-profit and national security related industry positions.

On the academic side, Robert holds Distinguished Fellowships at Saint Louis University and the Australian National University.

Robert’s non-profit service includes the US Geospatial Intelligence Foundation Board of Directors (Chairman), the National Security Space Association (Advisor), and the Special Competitive Studies Project (Advisor).

Robert is an Independent Director on the Board of IonQ (NYSE), the Chairman of the Board of Planet Federal, Chairman of the Board of the Taylor Geospatial Engine, and Chairman of the Board of the Taylor Geospatial Institute, and an Independent Director on the Board of SynthetAIc. In addition to his Senior Advisor role at McKinsey & Company, Robert’s Advisory Board positions include Cubic and Peraton.

Until February 2019, Robert was the sixth Director of the National Geospatial-Intelligence Agency (NGA). In that position, he led NGA under the authorities of the Secretary of Defense and Director of National Intelligence to transform the Agency’s future value proposition through innovative partnerships with the commercial geospatial industry.

Prior to that assignment, Robert served as the first Deputy Director for Intelligence Integration, Office of the Director of National Intelligence (ODNI), from 2010 to 2014. That position included managing, editing, and delivering the President’s Daily Brief to President Obama and Vice President Biden (over 1400 editions), being a member of the Deputies Committee on the National Security Council, overseeing the National Intelligence Managers and the National Intelligence Council.

Robert served as the Deputy Director of the Defense Intelligence Agency (DIA) and the Deputy Director for Analysis, DIA, from 2006 to 2010. In 2009, Robert served as the Acting J2, a first for a civilian, in support of the Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff – ADM Mike Mullen. Robert is the only person to lead the analytic operations at four organizations in the US Intelligence Community – ODNI, DIA, NGA, and the Joint Staff.

Robert earned a Bachelor of Arts in Government from Cornell University in 1983 and a Master of Arts in National Security Studies from Georgetown University in 1988. In 2019, Robert received an honorary Doctorate of Humane Letters from Saint Louis University. Robert has been awarded the Presidential Rank of Distinguished Executive (twice), the Presidential Rank of Meritorious Executive, the Director of National Intelligence Distinguished Service Medal (twice), the Secretary of Defense Distinguished Service Medal (twice) and the Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff Joint Meritorious Civilian Service Award.