Her kids found out she was a CIA agent the night before her Retirement party.
For 27 years, Ann E. Butler recruited spies, ran covert operations across four continents, and made it home for dinner — all while raising five children who thought mom was just a diplomat.
What You’ll Learn:
Power Quote: “Take advantage of opportunities that come your way. Persevere, even though it’s not always easy. And be grateful for those opportunities — because they can turn into extraordinary moments.” — Ann E. Butler
Timestamps:
🕵️♀️ 0:00 – Introduction 📖 3:30 – Why she wrote the book after 27 years of silence
🤰 8:45 – Going into labor during a clandestine meeting
🚂 15:20 – Almost nine months pregnant on an overnight train in alias
🎯 24:00 – The “bump” — how CIA officers engineer chance encounters
🤝 32:15 – Building trust: how to get someone to commit treason
🏫 40:30 – CIA training: the farm, fake prisons, and pressure tests
💥 48:00 – September 11th from inside a European CIA station
👨👩👧👦 55:20 – How her kids finally found out (the night before retirement)
🎬 62:00 – The Americans TV show: how accurate is it?
🏃♀️ 68:30 – Running a marathon in Paris (after meeting an asset first)
💡 74:00 – One lesson: Take advantage of opportunities and be grateful
Featured Book: “Wife. Mother. Spy. An Extraordinary Life Filled With Ordinary Days” by Ann E. Butler
Connect with Ann E. Butler:
Subscribe for more conversations with elite performers who’ve overcome the odds.
#AnnEButler #WifeMotherSpy #CIA #Spy #Espionage #Leadership #Motherhood #BuiltNotBorn #Podcast #WomenInLeadership #Undercover #JoeCiccarone #Podcast
© Joe Ciccarone – Built Not Born Podcast. All Rights Reserved. Views expressed by guests do not necessarily reflect the views of the host.
