Mary Vee Connell comes from a distinguished career in the intelligence community, most of which was with the Central Intelligence Agency, or CIA. She also served as deputy undersecretary of intelligence in the Department of Homeland Security. Connell received the National Intelligence Medal, the Secretary of Homeland Security Medal, and the CIA’s Distinguished Career Intelligence Medal. She is now chair of the Miller Center Foundation Board of Directors, a member of the Miller Center’s Governing Council, and a board member of the Charlottesville Committee on Foreign Relations. She earned her bachelor’s degree at Cornell University and doctoral degree at the University of Virginia.