The Security Foundation

As the Domestic Security Alliance Council (DSAC) marks its 20th anniversary, we’re reflecting not just on two decades of impact—but on the people who’ve helped shape its mission and momentum. One of those leaders is Gretchen Burrier, Assistant Director of the FBI’s Office of Private Sector (OPS) and the FBI Co-Chair of DSAC.

Gretchen’s journey through public service—spanning the U.S. Congress, Peace Corps, and now nearly a decade at OPS—has been guided by a clear through line: building bridges between institutions and people. Her leadership has helped grow OPS into a dynamic engine for collaboration, trusted intelligence sharing, and national security partnership with the private sector. In honor of this milestone year, Gretchen generously shared her reflections on the evolution of OPS, the impact of DSAC, and the future of public-private collaboration in today’s rapidly shifting threat landscape.

What drew you to work in the FBI’s Office of Private Sector (OPS)? What do you like most about OPS?

I have always been someone who has enjoyed engaging with people, and I have always been passionate about our country. This combined interest has led me through a variety of roles in my career in the U.S. House of Representatives, the U.S. Senate, the U.S. Peace Corps, and the FBI. Every role I have had has been focused on building external relationships in some way – whether that be with constituents, the media, other agencies, congressional staff, or the private sector.

When the opportunity came to move to OPS, I was working for the FBI Deputy Director. I had been in the role for almost five years and knew it might be time for a new challenge. OPS had just a few people on staff, and joining OPS seemed like an amazing way to be part of something new and to grow something for the FBI that would have enormous impact. It’s been almost nine years since I joined OPS. I have served in a variety of roles during this time from unit chief to section chief to my current role – and I have loved every moment of it.

What animates me about my current role in OPS as the Assistant Director, and as the Domestic Security Alliance Council (DSAC) FBI Co-Chair, is the opportunity to break down silos — to get actionable intelligence into the hands of the people who can use it, and to build the critical external partnerships the FBI needs to carry out its mission. I also like the fast pace of our office – OPS is always evolving to ensure we meet industry’s needs. To be helpful to both the FBI and to industry, we must continue to be relevant.

I can’t believe that OPS just reached its 11^th anniversary. I am proud to say that our amazing team has helped it to grow and evolve these last 11 years and we plan on ensuring that it continues to do so. It is truly a startup in its adaptability and its ability to respond to new and emerging needs.

In addition to the Office of Private Sector (OPS) reaching 11 years in 2025, DSAC reached the milestone of its 20^th Can you briefly share how DSAC came to be?

DSAC was created in response to a request by private sector leadership from the Overseas Security Advisory Council. They saw there was a gap in private sector engagement with the U.S. government and saw the opportunity to work together to tackle law enforcement and intelligence challenges domestically.

These individuals approached FBI leadership, who agreed there was value for such a program. The DSAC program was created directly under the then-Assistant Director for the Office of Law Enforcement Coordination, who reported to the Associate Deputy Director of the FBI.

DSAC then moved to OPS when it was created in 2014, along with the InfraGard Program. Since then, DSAC has continued to grow – not only in the number of companies, but also in increased programming and collaboration, and of course, information sharing with the FBI. To support OPS programs like DSAC and InfraGard there are now Private Sector Coordinators engaging with industry in every field office, and OPS created a product called a Liaison Information Report (LIR) – a short, one- or two-page written products with relevant content and insight tailored for U.S. private sector audiences.

Throughout its 20 years, DSAC has always had the highest support of its senior executive leadership. In the DSAC program, the FBI, DHS, and its 800 plus private sector company members work together to better understand and confront the ever-evolving challenges we face as a country. No person, no agency, no company, and no government can prevent the threats we face. We must work together as one team to succeed, and OPS looks forward to finding new ways to continue to innovative its programs like DSAC.

How do you see the role of the private sector evolving in the face of growing nation-state cyber and physical threats? How can DSAC continue to evolve?

The private sector is no longer a passive stakeholder — it is on the front lines. Nation-state actors target critical infrastructure, supply chains, and proprietary data, and many of those targets sit outside the federal government’s direct control. So, we’re seeing a shift toward a co-defensive posture, where industry and government share responsibility for protecting national interests.

We have so many great DSAC members and security representatives. I see DSAC continuing to evolve where we have more of our security representatives actively involved and promoting active dialogue with FBI and DHS leadership. National security is a shared responsibility, and we must increase collaboration to resolve the national security challenges we are facing together. I also think we need to continue to bring in new ideas and innovation. We look at OPS, for example, as a startup. With the private sector always evolving, DSAC must continue to be agile enough to do the same so that it remains a useful resource for our partners.

What are the FBI’s top strategic/operational priorities under the new Director?

The FBI will continue to place a high priority on its engagement with private industry, with a focus on expanding intelligence sharing, building trust, and tailoring threat information to sector-specific needs.

Under Director Patel, our mission will continue to be to protect the American people and uphold the Constitution of the United States. In terms of operational priorities, number one is to crush violent crime and destroy the ability of violent actors, gangs, and cartels to operate. The FBI will also continue to work to defend the homeland by protecting the U.S. from terrorist attack, foreign intelligence, espionage, foreign cyber operations, and adversarial cyber-criminal activity. Other strategic priorities, among others, will be to increase the FBI’s own transparency with the public and to be responsive to Congressional oversight. The FBI will increase trust in U.S. communities and institutions by combating public corruption, white-collar crime, and civil rights violations.

How does The Security Foundation’s (TSF) support help drive DSAC’s mission and strategy?

 The Security Foundation’s support plays a crucial role in enabling DSAC to fulfill its mission and pursue its strategic goals by helping to facilitate deeper engagement between private sector security leaders and government officials, beyond what government funding alone typically allows. TSF supports events and strategic forums that shape DSAC’s long-term goals and alignment with evolving national security threats. In short, TSF helps operationalize DSAC’s mission by enabling public-private collaboration at scale and with agility, driving national security through trusted partnership.