1027: Jonna Mendez | A Woman's Life in the CIA

Training

Jonna Mendez faced significant challenges as a woman in the CIA, where women were often relegated to secretarial roles regardless of their qualifications. She describes the agency's environment as one where women had to "elbow their way through" to prove their capabilities 1. Despite these barriers, Jonna managed to break through by taking on complex operations when opportunities arose, demonstrating her competence in a male-dominated field 2. Her experiences included not only overcoming sexism but also dealing with intense situations, such as a disarmed grenade being rolled at her during training, which she believes made her more determined 3.

It was a huge problem. And the only way, the way I found to get past that was to just kind of elbow my way through it.

--- Jonna Mendez

   

Career Path

Jonna's career in the CIA began unexpectedly, as she initially envisioned a future as an English teacher. Her journey took a turn when she moved to Europe and discovered the world of espionage through her first husband, a CIA officer 4. This revelation led her to a life of global assignments, where she embraced roles that required adaptability and secrecy 5. Jonna's assignments took her to diverse locations, including Bangkok and the subcontinent, where she transitioned from a photo operator to a disguise specialist, showcasing her ability to pivot and thrive in new environments 6.

I completely changed my career field to go there, and I loved it when I got there.

--- Jonna Mendez