Dave Pitts is a national security leader and former CIA senior executive with more than four decades of experience delivering results in high-risk, high-consequence environments. Today, Dave serves as the Chief Strategy Officer at Crescent Bridge. He is also a board member, advisor, mentor, and thought leader who helps organizations navigate complex geopolitical risk, build high-performing teams, and forge mission-critical partnerships. A veteran with deep roots in Special Operations and intelligence, Dave brings an operator’s realism and a strategist’s perspective to every engagement.
He guides organizations and partners through some of the world’s most complex challenges. His expertise spans cognitive warfare and the gray zone, intelligence, great power competition, special operations, and strategic technology integration. As co-founder of The Cipher Brief’s Gray Zone Group and a Cipher Brief Expert, he writes and speaks regularly on the evolving character of conflict, emerging global risks, and the decisions senior leaders must get right. He is known for turning complex threat landscapes into clear options and actionable strategies.
Dave’s distinguished national security career culminated as Assistant Director of CIA, following his role as chief of CIA’s National Resources Division, chief of the Agency’s two largest field stations, and multiple other leadership roles. He oversaw intelligence operations in contested environments, development of critical partnerships, counterterrorism operations, and other high-payoff missions. These assignments honed his ability to manage geopolitical risk, align stakeholders, and deliver outcomes under intense scrutiny in both the field and Washington.
Dave’s leadership also extends into technology and innovation. At the Joint Personnel Recovery Agency (JPRA), he pioneered advanced support programs for high-risk organizations, aligning R&D, emerging technologies, and operational requirements.
His military background in elite Special Operations units grounds his approach in mission focus, disciplined execution, and commitment to people. He is deeply invested in developing new leaders, helping teams understand the full spectrum of modern competition, and ensuring they can perform when it matters most.
Dave recognizes the power of both strategic risk and strategic opportunity in global engagement. He advises boards, CEOs, and mission-driven innovators who navigate at the speed of global events, seek a global edge, shape markets, and define the future of national security. He helps leaders assess risk, design strategy, and gain a competitive advantage in an increasingly turbulent world—transforming volatility into a source of durable advantage.
In his spare time, Dave is an avid cyclist and kayaker, and he honors paratroopers and veterans by participating in commemorative jumps from WWII-era C-47s. He participated in the 80th Anniversary of D-Day in Normandy and will return to Normandy for the 82nd Anniversary.