Laura Thomas

Laura Thomas is the Chief of Staff and Strategic Initiatives at ColdQuanta. She is a former Central Intelligence Agency (CIA) case officer and Chief of Base who built and led sensitive programs at CIA Headquarters and abroad in multiple international assignments. After leaving U.S. Government service in Spring 2021, Laura began openly addressing university, industry, and other government audiences on topics related to national security, emerging technology, and quantum sensing & computing. At ColdQuanta, she serves as a key advisor to the CEO and is responsible for the alignment and execution of the company’s strategic priorities.

She has served over 17 years in national security and leadership roles, working extensively across the U.S. intelligence community, National Security Council, U.S. Department of State, U.S. Department of Defense, U.S. Congress, and with foreign partners. Most recently, she was a member of the Aspen Institute’s Aspen Tech Policy Hub Tech Executive Leadership Initiative. She is also a member of the Out in National Security 2021 Out List and is an advocate for LGBTQ+ issues in both government and industry.