Wine & Wisdom: AI & US National Security

Director of the Center for Internal Studies and Director of the Global Cybersecurity Program Assistant Professor of International Studies at the University of St. Thomas. Mr. Botts received his Bachelor of Arts degree in Political Science from St. Mary’s University and Master of Security Management from the University of Houston Downtown. After serving for 31 years in the U.S. Department of State as a Foreign Service Officer (Santo Domingo, Seoul, Dublin, and Nassau), Assistant Director of the Houston Passport Agency and an Information Systems Security Officer, Mr. Botts retired and went to work in the private sector. During his federal career he served as Program Chairman of the Gulf Coast Federal Safety Council, and as a member of the Federal Executive Board. Mr. Botts is a founding board member of the Foreign Policy Alliance and has spoken on foreign policy issues to civic groups, colleges, and the media.

He worked as a security project manager and consultant for Swailes & Co. Inc. specializing in cybersecurity, risk management, business continuity, due diligence, travel security, and investigations. In the cyber security community, he sits on the Secure World Advisory Council is a member of the Information Systems Security Association and has frequently spoken on cybersecurity matters in a variety of fora. He authored and published two novels Conversations with An Alien (2004) and The Circle – Portrait of an American Family (2015).