A retired four-star general, General Michael V. Hayden is the founder of the Hayden Center and has been a distinguished visiting professor at the Schar School of Policy and Government since 2009. He is a CNN national security analyst and frequent commentator in top publications, and is valued for his expertise on intelligence matters, cyber security, government surveillance, geopolitics, and more.

Larry Pfeiffer is the director of the Hayden Center, overseeing its development, operations, and activities.  He is a highly respected and recognized expert in the areas of national and homeland security policy, crisis management, intelligence strategy, analysis and collection, overt and covert operations, and budgetary matters.