People Profile: Jeffrey W. Fields — Assistant Special Agent in Charge, FBI

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People Profile: Jeffrey W. Fields — Assistant Special Agent in Charge, FBI

Jeffrey (Jeff) W. Fields is a former police officer and recently retired executive with the Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI), where he served as the Assistant Special Agent in Charge (ASAC) of the Counterintelligence Branch in the San Francisco Field Office. He has over 20 years of experience in law enforcement and national security, specializing in counterintelligence, cyber-network operations, and emerging technology.

Career History

Fields began his career in public service as a police officer with the New York City Police Department (NYPD) from June 2002 to January 2006, where he investigated illegal firearms and violent felonies (LinkedIn, n.d.).

He joined the FBI in 2005 and served for over 20 years, conducting global operations in support of U.S. national security priorities. His FBI career included the following roles and assignments:

  • Supervised an interagency cyber-network operations group (CASPA, 2023).
  • Led a Weapons of Mass Destruction (WMD) unit on the New York Joint Terrorism Task Force (JTTF) (CASPA, 2023).
  • Completed multiple deployments on embedded assignments with U.S. Special Operations Command in Afghanistan and the Horn of Africa, focusing on counterterrorism (CASPA, 2023).
  • Served as Assistant Special Agent in Charge (ASAC) of the FBI’s Counterintelligence Branch in San Francisco, California, managing counterintelligence efforts and working at the intersection of intelligence, emerging technology, and innovation (UC Berkeley IIS, 2024).

Fields retired from the FBI in early 2026 (VIA Knowledge Hub, 2026). He is currently a Senior Fellow of Practice at the Berkeley Institute for Security and Governance (BISG), where he serves as an instructor for the “Hacking for Defense” (H4D) program (VIA Knowledge Hub, 2026).

Education and Fellowships

Institution Degree / Role Year
Hampton University Bachelor of Science in Biology —
Harvard Kennedy School of Government Master of Public Administration (MPA) 2020
Harvard Belfer Center for Science and International Affairs Non-Resident Fellow, Intelligence Project & Cyber and Intelligence Project 2020–2022
Council on Foreign Relations (CFR) Member —

Sources: (Belfer Center, 2022); (Belfer Center, 2021); (CFR, n.d.).

Public Appearances and Speeches

Committee of 100 Silicon Valley Conference & Gala (May 5–6, 2023, San Jose, CA): Panelist on the topic “Seeking Common Ground: The FBI and Asian American Leaders,” discussing racial profiling, the tech industry, and national security with Bay Area AAPI leaders (Committee of 100, 2023); (FBI San Francisco via X, 2023).

CASPA & CALOBA Panel (October 12, 2023, Santa Clara University School of Law): Panelist for “The FBI & Chinese Americans: From the Investigation and Defense Frontline,” discussing criminal trade secret theft (CASPA, 2023).

UC Berkeley Center for Long-Term Cybersecurity (CLTC) Conference (September 29, 2023): Keynote speaker at “Cyber Defending Taiwan: Lessons from Ukraine” (UC Berkeley CLTC, 2023).

Things Police See Podcast (June 12, 2024): Guest on the episode “Local Cop To Federal Agent — Jeff Fields” (YouTube, 2024).

Stanford University Panel & Book Launch (November 12, 2024): Moderator for “Transforming Defense: A Panel Discussion & Book Launch on Innovation in National Security,” held at Stanford University’s Shriram Center (Stanford H4D, 2024).

Second Front Systems “All Quiet” Podcast (December 3, 2024): Guest on Episode 81, discussing the intersection of public and private markets, security, and innovation, including a case study involving the FBI and Google (Second Front Systems, 2024).

UC Berkeley Institute of International Studies (November 7, 2024): Speaker for “FBI Perspectives: A Career Journey with Jeff Fields in National Security,” hosted by the Berkeley Risk and Security Lab and the Alexander Hamilton Society (UC Berkeley IIS, 2024).

Mindfluence CISO/Executive Leadership Forum (May 13–14, 2025, Napa, CA): Speaker on “What did the FBI Encounter in 2024 and how can that apply to your organization,” alongside FBI Cyber Supervisory Special Agent Scott Hellman (Mindfluence, 2025).

VIA Knowledge Hub Podcast (February 12, 2026): Guest discussing tabletop exercises, nation-state threat actors, Zero Trust architecture, and security practices for software teams (VIA Knowledge Hub, 2026).

UC Berkeley Security and Resilience Accelerator H4D (2026): Co-instructor alongside former Secretary of Homeland Security Janet Napolitano, working with students on real problems for the U.S. Space Force, U.S. Army, U.S. State Department, INDOPACOM, and Santa Rosa Fire Department (Instagram, 2026).

Online Presence

Platform URL
LinkedIn https://www.linkedin.com/in/jeff-f-63736a173
X / Twitter (FBI SF, official mention) https://x.com/FBISanFrancisco/status/1655694886685868038

Affiliations and Volunteer Work

Fields volunteers as a mentor with the non-profit Girl Security and the Fiver Children’s Foundation (Belfer Center, 2022). He is a member of the Council on Foreign Relations (CFR, n.d.).

Podcasts and Media Appearances — Extended Record

This section documents all identified podcast episodes, video interviews, panel recordings, and media appearances in which Fields participated as a named speaker, guest, or quoted source.

Podcasts

“Local Cop To Federal Agent — Jeff Fields”
Things Police See (Podcast), Episode published June 12, 2024. Host: Steve Gould. Fields discussed his career trajectory from police officer in New Mexico and Arizona to federal agent, his personal experience with alcohol addiction and recovery, and his book Sober From Sin. Available on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, and YouTube.

“Ep 81. Jeff Fields, Assistant Special Agent in Charge at the FBI”
All Quiet (Second Front Systems Podcast), Episode 81, published December 3, 2024. Host: Tyler Sweatt. Topics covered: the relationship between public markets and private innovation in security and risk management; evolving nature of global threats from nation-states and non-state actors; a case study of FBI-Google cooperation during the Linwei Ding economic espionage prosecution; and U.S. cultural influence in the global context. Available on Spotify, Apple Podcasts, and YouTube. (Second Front Systems, 2024)

“The one security practice most teams skip: tabletop exercises with Jeff Fields”
VIA Knowledge Hub Podcast, published February 12, 2026. Duration: 42 minutes. Topics covered: why most damaging cyber incidents result from internal organizational breakdowns rather than unknown threats; nation-state motivations of the PRC, Russia, and North Korea; the “geopolitical layer cake” and its relevance to technology builders; security as a team sport across engineering, HR, legal, physical security, and leadership; the Sony hack as a case study; Zero Trust architecture; tabletop exercises and war games; and government resources available to the private sector via fbi.gov, dni.gov, and the National Counterintelligence and Security Center (NCSC). Available on Substack/VIA Knowledge Hub, Apple Podcasts, and Spotify. (VIA Knowledge Hub, 2026)

Panel Discussions and Conference Talks

“Past, Present, and Future of Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion in the U.S. Intelligence Community”
Harvard Belfer Center Intelligence Project, April 15, 2022. Panel discussion on the history of DEI efforts in the U.S. intelligence community. Fields participated as a panelist. Video available on YouTube. (Belfer Center, 2022)

“Jeff Fields on Addressing the Diversity Deficit in the Intelligence Community”
Harvard Kennedy School Belfer Center, February 5, 2021. Short-form video in which Fields stated that the diversity deficit in the U.S. intelligence community constitutes a national security threat. Available on Facebook Video. (Belfer Center, 2021)

“Agents of Change: Driving a More Diverse and Capable Intelligence Community”
Harvard Belfer Center, two-day conference. Fields participated as a speaker and contributed a follow-up conference note published as a Belfer Center report. (Belfer Center, n.d.)

“The FBI & Chinese Americans: From the Investigation and Defense Frontline”
CASPA & CALOBA, October 12, 2023, Santa Clara University School of Law, Santa Clara, CA. Panelists: Jeffrey Fields (FBI ASAC), Letitia Wu (FBI Supervisory Special Agent), Mark Krotoski (Morgan Lewis), Zheng (Jen) Liu (Rimôn Law). Moderator: Jialing Dailey (Atlassian). Topics: criminal trade secret theft, frontline stories, practical tips for the Chinese American community. (CASPA, 2023)

“Seeking Common Ground: The FBI and Asian American Leaders”
Committee of 100 Silicon Valley Conference & Gala, May 5–6, 2023, San Jose, CA. Fields appeared as ASAC representing FBI San Francisco. Photographed with Dennis Wu of the Committee of 100. (FBI San Francisco via X, 2023)

Faith and Civil Rights Rally, Third Baptist Church of San Francisco
San Francisco Chronicle, October 23, 2022. Fields attended and spoke at a rally organized by the NAACP San Francisco branch and Rev. Amos Brown, addressing racism and division ahead of the 2022 midterm elections. Fields stated: “The communities represented at the event have ‘a rich history, unfortunately, of abuses at the hand of the organization I represent’” and pledged personal investment in community safety. (San Francisco Chronicle, 2022)

“Transforming Defense through Innovation for National Security”
Stanford University Hacking for Defense Panel Discussion, November 2024. Fields served as moderator. Panelists included Steve Blank (H4D co-founder), Jeff Decker (Stanford H4D program director), Lt. Col. Jamie Porchia (NPS), and Andrew Powell (Learn to Win). Event hosted by the H4D program, Gordian Knot Center for National Security Innovation, Stanford Energy, and the Common Mission Project. (Stanford H4D Substack, 2024)

“FBI Perspectives: A Career Journey with Jeff Fields in National Security”
UC Berkeley Institute of International Studies, November 7, 2024, 2:00–3:00 PM, 223 Philosophy Hall. Sponsored by the Berkeley Risk and Security Lab and the Alexander Hamilton Society. Fields discussed his career journey, practical advice for national security careers, and his work at the intersection of intelligence, emerging technology, and innovation. (UC Berkeley IIS, 2024)

“What did the FBI Encounter in 2024 and how can that apply to your organization”
Mindfluence CISO/Executive Leadership Forum, May 14, 2025, 10:00–10:45 AM, Napa Valley Marriott Hotel & Spa, Napa, CA. Co-presented with Scott Hellman (FBI Cyber Supervisory Special Agent, San Francisco). Topics: current cyber-crime trends, AI’s role in cybersecurity, and best practices for prevention and resilience. (Mindfluence, 2025)

“The War Everyone Should Have Seen Coming: A Flash Panel on the US-Iran Conflict”
UC Berkeley Institute of International Studies, March 18, 2026, 3:00–5:30 PM, 223 Philosophy Hall. Panelists: Professor Sahar Razavi (Sacramento State), Tom Moran (six-time CIA Chief of Station, now Director of the Intelligence Project at Berkeley’s ISG), and Jeff Fields. Moderated by Professor Andrew W. Reddie (Berkeley Risk and Security Lab). (LinkedIn, 2026)

UC Berkeley Security and Resilience Accelerator — Hacking for Defense (H4D) (Spring 2026)
Fields served as instructor for the H4D course at UC Berkeley, working with undergraduate and graduate students on real-world problems for the U.S. Space Force, U.S. Army, U.S. State Department, INDOPACOM, and Santa Rosa Fire Department. Co-instructors included former Secretary of Homeland Security Janet Napolitano. (Instagram, 2026); (LinkedIn, 2026)

News Media — Quotes and Named References

ABC News, October 29, 2024
Article: “Top US official warns of ‘large uptick’ in foreign spies targeting tech companies, threatening national security.” Author: Mike Levine. Fields is named alongside FBI San Francisco SAC Robert Tripp as taking a “refreshingly ‘aggressive’ approach to engaging with the private sector and academia.” The article describes a meeting between Fields, National Counterintelligence and Security Center Director Mike Casey, and technology researchers at UC Berkeley. (ABC News, 2024)

San Francisco Chronicle, October 23–24, 2022
Article: “‘We are the real face of America’: Local faith and civil rights leaders call out racism, division.” Author: Claire Hao. Fields is photographed and quoted at a rally at Third Baptist Church of San Francisco. Direct quote: “I can promise you that as a member of the community, I’m personally invested in ensuring that people in this community feel like they can be themselves and not have to worry about the fear of physical violence, emotional violence, spiritual violence simply because of existing.” (San Francisco Chronicle, 2022)

Written Publications

“Increasing Diversity in the Intelligence Community”
Harvard Belfer Center for Science and International Affairs, Follow-up Conference Note. Fields authored a conference note as a follow-up to the “Agents of Change” conference. Published as a Belfer Center report. (Belfer Center, n.d.)

“The Past, Present, and Future of Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion in the American Intelligence Community”
Harvard Belfer Center for Science and International Affairs, published April 13, 2022. A paper examining the history of IC diversity efforts through an open-source literature review of publicly known IC initiatives, studies, and policies. Fields is listed as a contributor in connection with the associated conference. (Belfer Center, 2022)

LinkedIn Posts (Selected Public Posts)

Post re: Linwei “Leon” Ding Google AI espionage conviction (published January 2026): Fields commented on the federal jury conviction of former Google software engineer Linwei Ding on seven counts of economic espionage and seven counts of trade secret theft for stealing AI infrastructure data while working for two Chinese technology companies. Fields noted the case as a result of “early, consistent, and transparent cooperation between Google, San Francisco FBI Counterintelligence, and the USAO.” (LinkedIn, 2026)

Post re: VIA Knowledge Hub podcast on tabletop exercises (published February 25, 2026): Fields shared the VIA Knowledge Hub podcast episode on tabletop exercises and unified security posture. (LinkedIn, 2026)

Post re: UC Berkeley BIG GIVE 2026 and Defense and Dual Use Technology Club (published March 12, 2026): Fields reshared a post by Bailey Baumbick promoting the Defense and Dual Use Technology Club at Berkeley (DDU), a student organization focused on defense, national security, and dual-use technology. Fields is listed as a faculty champion for the club. (LinkedIn, 2026)

Post re: US-Iran conflict panel at UC Berkeley (published March 15, 2026): Fields announced his participation in the panel “The War Everyone Should Have Seen Coming: A Flash Panel on the US-Iran Conflict” at UC Berkeley, describing his role as “FBI Counter-terrorism and National Security veteran with firsthand operational experience in the Middle East.” (LinkedIn, 2026)

LinkedIn Article: “A Letter to Drew Brees…” (published circa 2020): Fields authored a LinkedIn article responding to Drew Brees’s June 2020 public statements about kneeling during the national anthem. (LinkedIn, 2020)

Book

“Sober From Sin”
Fields authored a memoir titled Sober From Sin, available on Amazon. The book covers his law enforcement career and his experience overcoming alcohol addiction and trauma. (Amazon, n.d.); (Things Police See, 2024)

References

AI generated