Ms. Wendy Noble serves as the Deputy Director and senior civilian leader of the U.S. National Security Agency (NSA). In this capacity, she acts as NSA’s chief operating officer, overseeing strategy execution, establishing policy, guiding operations, and managing the senior civilian leadership. As an agency deputy in the U.S. national security system, Ms. Noble supports the U.S. defense and intelligence enterprise by informing national security policies, and positions NSA as an integrated mission partner to enable U.S. decision advantage and security against foreign threats.
She began her NSA career in 1987 as a cryptologic linguist. Throughout her tenure, Ms. Noble has served in numerous analytic, technical, and leadership roles spanning target and language analysis, strategy development, joint collection programs, and liaison operations, serving at both NSA Headquarters and various overseas locations.
Ms. Noble is certified as a Collection Officer and has completed several Joint Duty Assignments. A graduate of the University of Maryland (B.S., Spanish Literature/Political Science), she has successfully completed multiple language immersion programs, to include the Russian Language Program at the Defense Language Institute, the NSA Arabic Language Program, and the French Language Program at the Institut de Français, Villefranche-sur-Mer France.
Ms. Noble is the recipient of three National Intelligence Meritorious Unit Citations, two Joint Meritorious Unit Awards, the Tordella Award, NSA’s Exceptional Civilian Service Award, a Meritorious Executive Presidential Rank Award, and the National Intelligence Distinguished Service Medal.