(MURRAY, Ky.) — A former Secret Service special agent who protected four U.S. presidents and responded to the 9/11 attacks will headline a leadership program at Murray State University next month.
Evy Poumpouras, who spent more than 12 years safeguarding high-profile figures including Presidents Obama, Bush, Clinton and Bush Sr., will speak at the “Leadership by Design” event on Thursday, Sept. 25, from 5:30-7 p.m. at Lovett Auditorium.
The program, now in its third year, is hosted by Bacon Farmer Workman (BFW)/Marcum Engineering in partnership with Murray State. The event will focus on how emotional intelligence can serve as a powerful leadership tool, with Poumpouras sharing experiences from her Secret Service career and demonstrating how attendees can apply agency principles of communication, leadership, psychology and inclusion to their own endeavors.
“We are proud to partner with Murray State University for the third consecutive year to host our Leadership by Design event,” said Mark Workman, executive vice president of BFW/Marcum Engineering and Murray State alumnus. “This collaboration reflects our shared commitment to investing in the next generation of leaders.”
During her Secret Service tenure, Poumpouras worked on complex criminal investigations, operated undercover assignments, and served as an interrogator for the agency’s elite polygraph unit. She was among the first responders during the September 11, 2001 terror attacks on the World Trade Center and received the United States Secret Service Valor Award for her heroic efforts.
Today, Poumpouras works as a multimedia journalist and serves as NBC’s Law Enforcement Contributor, regularly appearing on “TODAY,” MSNBC and “Good Morning America.” She also teaches criminal justice and criminology as an adjunct professor at The City University of New York.
Her credentials include a popular TEDx talk titled “Words: Your Most Powerful Weapon” and the bestselling book “Becoming Bulletproof.”
Murray State President Dr. Ron Patterson expressed enthusiasm about the partnership. “We are very excited to partner with BFW/Marcum Engineering to host such an accomplished speaker who promises an eye-opening and inspiring program for our students and community,” Patterson said. “Teaching leadership skills to our students is so important for academic, professional and personal growth.”
The event is free and open to the public, but registration is required at https://shorturl.at/YPwkn. Questions about the event can be directed to the Murray State Office of Development at 270-809-3001.