Jon Darby, Senior Advisor, Donovan Capital Group

Jon Darby

Operating Partner

Mr. Darby is a nearly 39-year veteran of the U.S. Intelligence Community, primarily in the National Security Agency (NSA)/Central Security Service (CSS), culminating in serving over four years as the NSA/CSS Director of Operations (DO). Prior to assuming the DO position, which oversees all of NSA’s collection, code-breaking, analysis and production of signals intelligence (SIGINT), he led some of NSA’s most difficult missions, including Counterterrorism, Cybersecurity Operations, and SIGINT analysis and production on all geographic and transnational missions. He managed a budget in the billions, drove development and use of advanced technologies, and in multiple positions led thousands of globally distributed civilian and military personnel providing intelligence support for military, diplomatic, cybersecurity and law enforcement operations.

Starting his career as a Russian language analyst, Mr. Darby served in a variety of field and operations management positions at NSA and abroad. He spent over a decade following 9/11 in various leadership positions in NSA’s counterterrorism and counterproliferation missions, to include serving as NSA’s Chief of Counterterrorism during the Osama bin Laden operation. Other key senior leadership assignments include serving as NSA’s Chief of SIGINT Analysis and Production and the Deputy Chief of Cybersecurity Operations.

Mr. Darby is on the Board of Directors of ManTech, the Advisory Board of Intelligent Artifacts, and is a Strategic Advisor for the Blu Venture Investors Cyber Advisory Board. He also is a Senior Advisor for Donovan Capital Group and Beacon Global Strategies.  In addition, he is an independent consultant as the Principal in Jon Darby Consulting LLC.

Mr. Darby is a graduate of Carleton College, where he majored in Political Science/International Relations with a Concentration in Russian Studies.