Jeffrey F. Addicott

OUR FELLOWS

Fidel Esparza, Senior Research Fellow

Fidel Esparza III is a third year law student at St. Mary s University. Fidel is from Rio Hondo, Texas and prior to attending St. Mary s he graduated Magna Cum Laude with a Bachelor of Arts degree in Political Science and Criminal Justice from Sam Houston State University. He was also a member Pi Sigma Alpha Honor Society, the Sam Houston State Political Science Junior Fellows and president of the Sam Houston State Agriculture Engineering and Technology Organization.
In addition to working at the Center for Terrorism Law as a research fellow, Fidel is a member of the Hispanic Law Students Association, Criminal Law association and interned at the Texas Department of Criminal Justice State Counsel for Offenders. Mr. Esparza s areas of interest include international relations, Middle East security issues (with a special emphasis on Iran), U.S./Mexico border security issues and U.S. defense policy.

Benjamin Marshall

Benjamin Marshall is a thrid year law student at St. Mary s University School of Law. Benjamin graduated from the C.T. Bauer College of Business at the University of Houston, earning a Bachelor of Business Administration in Finance. Prior to attending law school Benjamin worked in Zurich, Switzerland for U.S. tax firm, specializing in tax return compliance and consultancy. In addition to working at the Center for Terrorism Law, Benjamin works with Volunteer Income Tax Assistance (VITA), preparing tax returns for low-income individuals and small businesses.

Julie Staffel, Senior Research Fellow

Julie Staffel is a third year law student who transferred to St. Mary's this year from Charlotte School of Law. She graduated with a BA in Theatre from Angelo State University and spent several years in NYC and Los Angeles before attending law school. Julie currently serves at Center for Terrorism Law as a research fellow and manages daily operations. Julie is editor in chief of the Terrorism Law Report and is currently doing extensive research over the history and divisions of Islam, middle eastern culture and conflicts, international and military law, and the Persian language of Farsi.

Joshua Wilson

Joshua Wilson is currently a third year law student at St. Mary's University School of Law. Joshua graduated from Texas A&M University with a Bachelor of Arts in History and a minor in Psychology. Prior to attending law school, Joshua worked as an insurance adjuster in Houston, TX. While in law school, he has attended the St. Mary's Institute on Chinese Law and Business in Beijing, China. He has worked as a judicial intern at the 14th Texas Court of Appeals in Houston, TX. Joshua also serves as Secretary of the Aggie Bar Association and Vice-President of the Federalist Society. His areas of interest include U.S. - Chinese relations, corporate security issues, and Middle East security issues. In his free time, Joshua rides in charitable and competitive cycling events around Texas.

Consultants

Senior Advisor for Education and Training - Kenneth Allard

Kenneth Allard is a former United States Army Colonel widely known to national audiences. A frequent television and radio commentator on foreign policy and security issues, he was for more than a decade a consultant to NBC News and a featured military analyst on MSNBC and CNBC. That experience provided the backdrop for his most recent book, Warheads: Cable News and the Fog of War, a humerous, behind-the-scenes memoir of the role of the military analyst on cable television. His interest in business leadership produced Business as War (Wiley, 2004), a prophetic book on 21st century corporate governance.

In 2006, Colonel Allard became an adopted Texan and San Antonian, joining the faculty of the University of Texas, San Antonio, as an executive-in-residence and a senior lecturer in management to business and MBA classes. His other books include Somalia Operations: Lessons Learned, and Command, Control and the Common Defense, winner of the 1991 National Security Book Award. A gifted writer, his weekly column appeared in the San Antonio Express News for over two years. Today he writes for national audiences through regular columns in Family Security Matters and The Daily Beast.

Colonel Allard's military career began as a draftee, but eventually included overseas service as an intelligence officer as well as tours of duty as an assistant professor at West Point, special assistant to the Army Chief of Staff, and Dean of Students at the National War College. He also holds a Ph.D. in International Security from the Fletcher School of Law and Diplomacy and an MPA from Harvard University. His numerous military decorations include the Defense Superior Service Medal and multiple awards of the Legion of Merit. His alma mater, Lycoming College, recognized his record of public service in 1991 with its Outstanding Achievement Award. In November 2009, he was awarded the Silver Citizenship Medal by the National Society of the Sons of the American Revolution.

Offer Baruch

Offer Baruch is the Vice President of Operation for International Shield Inc., a Houston-based security consultant and training company.

Born in Israel, Mr. Baruch has more than 25 years experience in counter-terrorism, counter-intelligence and physical security management. He was recruited by the Israeli Security Service (Shin Bet) in 1978. During his service, Mr. Baruch became a member of the counter-terrorism division and has been involved in the interrogation of hundreds of terrorist incidents and suicides attacks in the West Bank, Gaza Strip and Lebanon over the course of his career.

Mr. Baruch has extensive experience in dealing with radical Islamic militant groups and became the director of a counter intelligence unit for the Israeli Counter Terrorism Task Force. During his career he had developed relevant counterterrorism training programs. He later served with a specialized negotiation unit that coordinated counter-intelligence information with the Palestinian Authority. Mr. Baruch served as the Director of Security for several Israeli diplomatic missions with the Israeli Foreign Ministry. These included high-threat posts such as Egypt and Jordan where he facilitated executive protection details for diplomats and security oversight for expatriates. He also was responsible for all aspects of physical security measures at Israeli missions in these locations and worked to bolster local security for El Al Airlines.

As a Physical Security Expert, Mr. Baruch provided professional opinion report on the security measures at a project in Saudi Arabia, where six foreigners were murdered in a terror attack. This security consultant provided for a Houston-based legal firm which represented some of the victims' families. He has developed the most updated concept for counter-terrorism which has become a major asset with the U.S. Homeland Security and shares this concept with Federal, Local and State law enforcement in training seminars nationwide. He is also a well known speaker in the field of Global Fundamental Islamic Terror, suicide bombers' culture and other counter-terrorism related subjects.

Mr. Baruch has a bachelor degree in Israeli Government Politics from Bar Ilan University and he has participated in variety security courses with the Israeli Shin Bet such as aviation security management, counter-intelligence and Interrogation Management. Additionally, he certified by Texas Department of Public Safety as a Security Manager. Mr. Baruch is fluent in Hebrew, English and different Arabic dialects.

Born in Israel, Mr. Baruch has more than 25 years experience in counter-terrorism, counter-intelligence and physical security management. He was recruited by the Israeli Security Service (Shin Bet) in 1978. During his service, Mr. Baruch became a member of the counter-terrorism division and has been involved in the interrogation of hundreds of terrorist incidents and suicides attacks in the West Bank, Gaza Strip and Lebanon over the course of his career.

Kenneth R. Bowra, Major General (Ret.), U.S. Army

Ken Bowra is Oak Ridge National Laboratory's Senior Program Director for the U.S. Joint Forces Command, located in Suffolk, Virginia. He retired as a Major General after thirty-three years of service in the United States Army on 1 October 2003. He was commissioned a Regular Army officer, in the infantry, after graduating from The Citadel, The Military College of South Carolina. He earned a Masters Degree (MMAS) in Military Science while attending the United States Army Command and General Staff College at Fort Leavenworth, Kansas and is a graduate of the U.S. Army War College. In his last assignment, he served as the Assistant Chief of Staff, Operations, Allied Forces North Europe, NATO, where he led NATO's first out of Europe reconnaissance mission to Afghanistan.

He has commanded Special Forces units at all levels: serving as a reconnaissance team leader in Vietnam with MACV-SOG; advisor to Cambodian units in the FANK/UITG Program; Operational Detachment Alfa Team leader and executive officer; Military Equipment Delivery Team, Cambodia; battalion and Group commander with the 5th Special Forces Group (Airborne). He additionally served as a company commander in the 4th Infantry Division and 2d Battalion (Ranger), 75th Infantry. He also has served with the Joint Special Operations Command, and deployed in support of operations in Grenada, and other contingencies. General officer commands and assignments include: Commanding General, Special Operations Command South, United States Southern Command; Deputy Commanding General and Chief of Staff, U.S. Army Special Operations Command; Commanding General, United States Army Special Forces Command; and Commanding General United States Army John F. Kennedy Special Warfare Center and School. He additionally served as the Deputy Commander to NATO's 39-nation peacekeeping force in Kosovo, KFOR.

Mr. Bowra is a member of the NDIA Special Operations/Low Intensity Conflict Executive Board, and serves as a consultant for St. Mary's University School of Law, Center for Terrorism Law. He has served as a volunteer with the Boy Scouts of America, and received the Distinguished Scouter Award in 2003 as well as the Silver Beaver in 2003. He is an Eagle Scout and member of the Order of the Arrow.

Senior Advisor - Peter T. Conner

Mr. Peter T. Conner is a Principal in The Spectrum Group with a Specialty in the Homeland Security and International Divisions. He has technical and business expertise in several different industries and technologies, specifically the Defense, Intelligence, Homeland Security, Health Affairs and Biosciences.    

Mr. Conner serves as a Senior Advisor to the Center for Terrorism Law, Saint Mary’s University and as a Director, Chemical Security Services, LLC.   He is subject matter expert on the DHS SAFETY Act and Chemical Facility Anti-Terrorism Standards (CFATS). He has served as a Program Manager for the Texas Bio and Agro Defense Consortium (TBAC), a finalist for the DHS National Bio and Agro Defense Facility. He also has extensive experience with multiple secure communications, information technologies, and Biocontainment Laboratories, including BSL-4. Mr. Conner has CEO and General Management experience in international sales, marketing, quality and problem resolution has spent decades assisting companies and trade communities in reaching their business and financial goals by innovation, analysis, strategy development, on-site management.  

Mr. Conner founded AMICITAS which is a Faith-based Center for Preparedness and Resiliency after his personal experience assisting evacuees as a commissioned Stephen Minister in the aftermath of Hurricanes Katrina and Rita. AMICITAS organizes, credentials, and deploys faith based volunteers to serve as “Spiritual Friends" during disasters and complements the existing Community Emergency Response Teams (CERT) trained teams for disaster response available to survey, assess, inform, and ultimately assist in protecting communities. AMICITAS intends to participate in Operation Lone Star during 2009, under the leadership of Commander Chuck Bauer, M.D.          

Mr. Conner holds a B.S. in Management from the University of Alabama and received a M.A. in Health Care Management from George Washington University. He graduated from Harvard University School of Business, President Class Certificate and also received an Advanced Financial Management Certificate from University of Pennsylvania, The Wharton School.

James Conway

James G. Conway, Jr. is the President and Managing Director of Global Intelligence Strategies, Inc. in Houston, Texas. He consults and advises government agencies, academia and the media on terrorism and national security matters as well as private sector corporations on security, counterterrorism measures and risk mitigation.

Mr. Conway served in law-enforcement for 35 years, 25 years as a Special Agent for FBI where he specialized in investigations of organized crime, violent crime, international terrorism and counter-intelligence. Mr. Conway also spent four years conducting community and corporate relations and media relations as the FBI Spokesperson for the Houston Division. In addition, Mr. Conway served as an FBI police instructor and member of the FBI tactical SWAT team.

In recent years, Mr. Conway supervised the Houston Joint Terrorism Task Force and worked in a variety of assignments both in the U.S. and overseas working with police, intelligence and judicial counterparts throughout the world. In 2002, Mr. Conway was appointed to a four year diplomatic posting in the Office of the Legal Attache, U.S. Embassy, in Mexico City.

James Rainwater, Esq.

James Rainwater provides professional neutrality for court-ordered and private mediations in the State of Texas, based in San Antonio. He is qualified to conduct both General and Family Law mediations, as well as Children's Court cases. Mr. Rainwater is experienced with family law, child abuse and neglect, insurance, contract disputes, personal injury, real estate, probate, property damage, appellate, worker's compensation, and small claims. Mr. Rainwater is also the founder-director of the Alamo Mediation Center.

Mr. Rainwater is a St. Mary's University School of Law-trained mediator. Originally from Minnesota, Mr. Rainwater has extensive experience in advertising, real estate, sales, security, mortgage banking, and customer service. He received his B.A. in International Relations from the University of Minnesota in 1989 and his J.D. from St. Mary's University School of Law in 2001. Mr. Rainwater has mediated cases in Bexar County, Texas, for over eight years and is a frequent pro bono mediator for the Bexar County Dispute Resolution Center. As a Hearing Officer for the San Antonio Housing Authority, he determines the termination or retention of program tenants under investigation by the Authority; he has heard and ruled upon over 140 individual cases. Authority matters are conducted and arbitrated under the Code of Federal Regulations. Mr. Rainwater was a reserve attorney for the U.S. Small Business Administration.

Gregory Rattray, Ph.D.

Dr. Gregory Rattray is the Center's consultant for cyberterrorism. Dr. Rattray served in the U.S. Air Force for 23 years, as well as the White House National Security Council Staff. He is a national cybersecurity and information warfare expert who has various publications regarding this subject. Dr. Rattray earned his Ph.D. in International Affairs (with honors) from Fletcher School of Law & Diplomacy, Tufts University, 1998.
With over twenty years of expertise in domestic and international cyber security, operations and intelligence, Dr. Rattray is an outstanding communicator across a broad range of forums and stakeholders. He has established and drove program strategies for cyber security initiatives across both the government and private sector. Additionally, he is engaged as a continuing advisor to the White House, Department of Defense, intelligence community, academic education and research programs on global risk and enterprise solutions. His experience includes:

• Served as member of The White House staff, Director of Cyber Security, National Security Council
• Command of leading edge Air Force information operations organizations
• Telecommunications and cyber security program management
• Lead DoD information assurance engagement with defense industrial base partners
• Senior security adviser on foreign investments for US government regarding corporate acquisitions and outsourcing concerns in the telecommunications and information technology sector
• Full member, Council on Foreign Relations
• Chair of the Advisory Board, Cyber Conflict Studies Association
• Advisory Board Member, National Infragard Program

G. Michael Stripling, Colonel, U.S. Army

Michael Stripling is a Colonel in the United States Army Judge Advocate General's Corps. He is a graduate of Samford University and remained in Birmingham and received his Juris Doctor. He is a member of the Alabama Bar, Nebraska Bar, Washington D.C. Bar, and the Bar of the Supreme Court of the United States. His military education includes the Infantry Advanced course, the Military Intelligence Advanced course, the Graduate Program at the Judge Advocate General's School, the Command and General Staff College, Commandant's List, and the Air War College. He also holds both the Parachutist and Air Assault Badges and is a life member of the Veterans of Foreign Wars and the American Legion.

Colonel Stripling served on active duty as the Command Judge Advocate of the 20th Special Forces Group (Airborne) during Desert Storm in 1991. He remained in that capacity until 1995, at which time he was selected to serve as a Senior Legal Advisor at Special Forces Command (Airborne) at Fort Bragg, North Carolina. Colonel Stripling was later selected by the Pentagon to serve as the IMA Commander and Commandant of the Judge Advocate General's Legal Center and School at Charlottesville, Virginia. He is the only IMA that has ever served in that position.

Colonel Stripling retired after forty (40) years in the U.S. Army and is in private law practice in Birmingham, Alabama. The main focus of this practice is in the area of International Law, including Military Law and Intelligence Law. Colonel Stripling is also a subject matter expert at St. Mary's University School of Law's Center for Terrorism Law in San Antonio, Texas, where he lectures extensively on the history of Middle East and foreign and domestic terrorism.

Senior Consultant - Alfred A. Valenzuela, Major General (Ret.), U.S. Army

Major General Alfred A. Valenzuela was commissioned from St. Mary's University as a Distinguished Military Graduate and awarded a Bachelor of Arts Degree in Government. He holds a Master of Arts in Political Science, with emphasis on Latin American Studies, and National Security Affairs. His military education includes the Field Artillery Basic and Advanced Courses, Defense Strategy Course, Army War College, National Security Management Course, and Airborne Course. Additionally, he is a graduate of the Inter-American Defense College, Command and General Staff College, Armed Forces Staff College, and the Air War College.

Major General Valenzuela has served as the Deputy Commanding General and Deputy Joint Task Force Panama Commander, U.S. Army South, Assistant Division Commander (Support), 3rd Infantry Division (Mechanized), Fort Stewart/Hunter Army Airfield, Georgia, from October 1996 until June 1998. He also served as Deputy Commander in Chief, U.S. Southern Command from June 1998 to July 2000. His last assignment was as Commander, United States Army South from July 2000 until October 2003. MG Valenzuela retired from active duty on 1 May, 2004.

Major General Valenzuela has served in three Corps (3rd, 7th, and 18th) and four Infantry Divisions (1st, 2nd, 3rd, 10th, and 1st AD). While serving as Commander, 10th Mountain Division Artillery, Fort Drum, New York, he participated in operations "Restore Hope" and "Uphold Democracy" with soldiers of his unit deployed to Somalia and Haiti. He also participated in "Distant Thunder" with 3ID in Kuwait. He also served as the Commander Military Assistance Advisory Group, Peru, and as a Field Artillery Advisor, U.S. Military Group, Colombia.

Major General Valenzuela also served as the Latin American Politico-Military Analyst at the National Security Agency, working as the Planning Coordinator for Operations "Urgent Fury" in Grenada and "Just Cause" in Panama; he was also a Fire Support Officer and Brigade Artillery and Infantry Advisor, U. S. Military Group, El Salvador, during the country's civil war.

Among his decorations are the Defense Distinguished Service Medal, Distinguished Service Medal, Defense Superior Service Medal, Legion of Merit (with three Oak Leaf Clusters), Soldier's Medal (for heroism), Bronze Star for Valor, Defense Meritorious Service Medal, Meritorious Service Medal (with two Oak Leaf Clusters), Joint Service Commendation Medal, Army Commendation Medal (with Oak Leaf Cluster), Joint Service Achievement Medal, Army Achievement Medal, Armed Forces Expeditionary Medal, Humanitarian Service Medal and the Joint Meritorious Unit Award (3rd award).

Major General Valenzuela has served on the Board of Directors for the Eagle Scout Association, the Texas Chapter of the Boy Scouts of America and the Tomas Rivera Institute for Policy. He has been selected to the Hall of Fame for the Boys Club, and is on the Board of trustees of Saint Mary's University. He was recently named one of the "100 Most Influential Hispanics" by Hispanic Business magazine and selected to the Board of Directors for the Cuban American National Council for Education.

Distinguished Visitors

Dr. Starnes E. Walker, III, Starnes Walker is the Director of Research in the Department of Homeland Security, Directorate for Science and Technology. DHS recruited Dr. Walker from the Office of Naval Research. As Director of Research for the DHS Science and Technology Directorate, Dr. Walker also oversees the Office of National Laboratories, the Office of University Programs for the DHS Centers of Excellence, and the Academic Fellowship and Scholarship Program Office. He joined the Science and Technology Directorate in January, 2007. Dr. Walker holds a BS, MA and PhD in physics from the University of California and an honorary degree in nuclear engineering from the University of Missouri. He is the Chairman of the Joint Laboratory Board of the Joint Improvised Explosive Devices Defeat Organization. He also serves as Chairman of the Engineering Development Board of the University of Missouri. He was a Distinguished Visitor at the Center for Terrorism Law on April 8, 2010.

Marc Gonsalves and Keith Stansell, two of the three Americans held hostage in Colombia for five and a half years, told their harrowing tale of survival, brotherhood and rescue on May 29, 2009.   This presentation was part of the Center for Terrorism Law's Distringuished Speaker Series.   Marc Gonsalves, Keith Stansell and Thomas Howe were rescued from their captors, the Revolutionary Armed Forces of Colombia (FARC), in July 2008.   Their book Out of Captivity:   Surviving 1,967 Days in the Colombian Jungle, was featured at the presentation and is available at local bookstores.



Robert M. Chesney, a member of the faculty at the University of Texas School of Law and a Senior non-resident Fellow of the Brookings Institute, gave a presentation which focused on the federal criminal justice system's ability to prosecute some or all of the GITMO detainees on April 23, 2009.



Senator John Cornyn (R. TX),   Senator Cornyn spoke proudly of his alma mater taking a lead role on the "War on Terror" by establishing the Center for Terrorism Law." ...see website

February 26, 2004:   Mr. John Washburn, J.D. (Harvard), a career Diplomat and Convener of Non Governmental Organizations (NGOs) for the International Criminal Court (ICC).
Mr. Washburn spoke on "The ICC and the Prosecution of Terrorists."...see website

February 19, 2004: General Counsel James Ho. Mr. Ho serves as Chief Counsel of the United States Senate Judiciary Subcommittee on the Constitution, Civil Rights, and Property Rights, chaired by Senator John Cornyn (R-TX). Mr. Ho  spoke on "Ensuring the Continuity of Government after "9/11." ...more

January 30, 2004: Congressman Jim Turner (D. TX), Ranking Member, House Select Committee on Homeland Security.   Congressman Turner spoke on "Winning the War on Terror." ...see website

November 20, 2003: Honorable Steven J. Morello, General Counsel, Department of the Army.   Mr. Morello spoke on a variety of legal issues associated with the War on Terror to include the detention of the detainees in Cuba. ...see website