Natalie Laing

National Security Agency

Director of Operations

Ms. Natalie Laing is the Director of Operations for the National Security Agency/Central Security Service (NSA/CSS)

Ms. Laing earned a Bachelor of Science degree in German and political science from Central College in 1991 and a Master of Science degree in strategic intelligence from the Joint Military Intelligence College in 2004. Prior to joining NSA, Ms. Laing managed technical and engineering exchange programs at Carl Duisberg Society International in New York City and was an Associate Manager for the international trade processing software unit at Deutsche Bank in New York City.

Ms. Laing joined NSA in 1997 as an Intelligence Analyst and since that time has served in a variety of analytic and managerial positions in NSA’s Deputy Directorate for Analysis and Production (S2), the Information Warfare Support Center, and the Special Collection Service. She supported NSA, EUCOM, and CENTCOM missions through deployments and served as the NSA Liaison to the Joint Chiefs of Staff/J39. She served as the S2 Chief of Operations and the Deputy Global Capabilities Manager for the Office of China and Korea. She was NSA’s Senior Representative to the Presidential Working Group. She served as Director of RAF Menwith Hill and then as NSA Chief of Staff; most recently, she was the Deputy Director of Operations for National Support.

Ms. Laing lives in Columbia, MD. She is a 21-year member of the Junior League, a volunteer organization that trains women to be community leaders. She served as President of the Junior League of Washington, a 2,200 member chapter in Washington, DC area.

James Hopper

Meade Senior High School

Homeland Security Program Facilitator

Mr. Hopper has served as the Homeland Security Signature Program Coordinator for Meade High School since 2011. During this time, Mr. Hopper has developed industry partnerships, local, national, and international collaborations, higher education agreements, and marketing strategies which have resulted in a 300% growth in the Homeland Security Signature enrollment at Meade High School.
 

Mr. Hopper began his career in education in Howard County, Maryland in 1993. Over the years, he has held positions within the HCPSS and the AACPS to include Assistant and Head Varsity Football and Track coach, Administrative Intern, Advance Placement Statistics and Calculus teacher, School AP Coordinator, Curriculum Developer, and Professional Development School Site Coordinator.
 

In 2011, Mr. Hopper was awarded the STEM Teacher of the Year Award for Meade High School. In 2015, Mr. Hopper was nominated for and graduated from the FBI Citizens Academy. Following his graduation, Mr. Hopper worked with local industry partners to collaborate with New Scotland Yard, Menwith Hill Station, RAF Waddington, and the Sir William Robertson Academy in the United Kingdom to coordinate an international trip with 13 students to understand the partnerships the US has developed in its defense of our interests across the globe. 
 

Since 2014, Mr. Hopper has established and expanded a partnership with Anne Arundel Community College's Homeland Security and Criminal Justice Institute to host eight Annual Homeland Security EXPO’s for the Meade Cluster and the offering of eight college courses and one proficiency course at Meade High School to enable every student the ability to graduate from high school with 25 transcripted college credits.

In 2016, in partnership with the college, he coordinated the Maryland Homeland Security Educational Alliance’s 2nd Annual Homeland Security Summit at AACC to include over 350 students from seven counties across the state of Maryland. During the COVID Pandemic, Mr. Hopper coordinated the migration of Homeland Security instructional program to a virtual format in response to needs of online instruction. 
 

Mr. Hopper received his undergraduate degree in Mathematics from Shepherd University in 1993 while being recognized as a WVIAC Division II Football Academic All-Conference Player. In 2001, he earned a Master’s in Education Administration and Supervision from Bowie State University. He currently lives in Severna Park with his wife and last of 5 children.