Episode 7: Follow the Money with FBI Special Agent Debra LaPrevotte

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Retired SA Amy Loughney-Bytof worked for the FBI for 24 years, working mainly complex financial crimes with an emphasis on healthcare fraud. She is a legacy FBI Agent, with her uncle being the first Special Agent in her family, followed by her father. She is one of the babies that got a letter from J. Edgar Hoover, when she was born! How cool and ironic is that! Little did he know she'd become a badass Special Agent. Amy attended the FBI Academy in 1998, and was assigned to NYC. She was loving life living in the Big Apple working health care fraud when the terrorist attacks happened. It had been just a beautiful morning with blue skies, Amy had gone for a run as she was training for a marathon and then she had driven into the city. She had just parked, when "boom!" her car shook and her life forever changed. 

Retired SA Ida D'Antonio-Hangen has 28 years of law enforcement (LEO) experience, 22 of those years dedicated to fighting human trafficking and investigating Indian Country crime for the FBI. Ida was inspired to join the LEO world after watching the late 70s-80s show "Chips," and a career fair solidified her aspiration. She became an adult probation officer, then cross-trained as a firefighter - police office with the Dallas Fort Worth Airport Department of Public Safety. By the time she joined the Bu, Ida, was already a badass! Ida was assigned to Las Cruces, New Mexico, where for 22 years she worked human trafficking, crimes against children, and Indian Country crime--some of the most brutal violations there are. Ida is now an  Assistant Professor at the New Mexico State University, where she teaches matters in criminal justice, human trafficking, crime scenes and investigations. 

Larissa Knapp is the current Executive Assistant Director (EAD) of the National Security Branch (NSB). EAD Knapp is the highest-ranking FBI Special Agent and the first Asian American woman to achieve such rank. 

EAD. Knapp joined the FBI in 1997 as a special agent in the New York Field Office and investigated computer intrusion and intellectual property matters. She transferred to the FBI office on St. Thomas, U.S. Virgin Islands, in 2003 to work counterterrorism cases. In 2006, Ms. Knapp transferred to FBI Headquarters and served as a senior detailee to the CIA for the FBI’s Counterterrorism Division.  In 2011, she became field supervisor of a counterterrorism squad at the Washington Field Office, then in 2014 was promoted to assistant special agent in charge of intelligence at WFO. EAD Knapp continued to climb the ranks holding various positions from section chief of the Counterterrorism Internet Operations Section to being selected as deputy assistant director of the Intelligence Operations Branch in the Directorate of Intelligence,  special agent in charge of the Counterterrorism Division and was later promoted to assistant director of the Security Division at Headquarters. In 2021, EAD Knapp was named EAD of the Human Resources Branch and currently she serves as the EAD of NSB. EAD Knapp leads the FBI with excellence!

Dr. Rhonda Glover Reese is a retired Supervisory Special Agent who served in the FBI for 34 years. She held various leadership roles from Program Manager/Program Coordinator, Supervisory Special Agent to Assistant Special Agent in Charge (ASAC). She had temporary duty assignments within the Senior Executive Service at FBIHQ. Dr. Reese talks to us about her mother, a hidden figure! Yes, she was a mathematician for NASA! How brilliant!! Dr. Reese tells us how her mother was her inspiration. Dr. Reese talks to us about her journey into the Bureau, beginnings, progressions, her work as an Undercover Agent and leading narcotic investigations, and we converse about her leadership journey. Dr. Reese and I have a real conversation about leadership and ascending the ladder in the Bureau. She mentions her challenges and how they shaped her and put her on the path of her post-Bureau career! 

It is essential to invest in yourself, to recognize your own value and to always remember to tell yourself "I am worth it!" Dr. Rhonda Glover Reese reminded me of  all of the above during our chat!