Steve Hirsch

Steve Hirsch spent more than three decades in national security, where he learned that even in extraordinary circumstances, the most important stories are ultimately about people. A US Army veteran and former CIA senior executive, he served as chief learning officer, deputy director of public affairs, and executive champion for accessibility and inclusion. Earlier, he was a chemical and biological weapons analyst and the president’s daily brief briefer in the aftermath of 9/11.

His career sparked an enduring fascination with how ordinary people respond when institutions and assumptions begin to fail—and how compassion, courage, and human connection endure.

Steve earned a BA in international relations from California State University, Northridge, and an MA in international policy and Russian from the Monterey Institute of International Studies. He studied Russian literature at CSU Fullerton, and is currently pursuing an MA in creative writing at Fairfield University.