Michael Hollingsworth

Mike Hollingsworth is an adjunct faculty member at Embry-Riddle and a retired U.S. Air Force intelligence officer with more than 23 years of military service. His career encompassed conventional, strategic and special operations assignments, with extensive experience in intelligence analysis, operational planning, intelligence, surveillance and reconnaissance (ISR), counterterrorism, and national security.

Throughout his military career, Mike served in leadership and operational positions supporting joint, strategic and special operations missions. A significant portion of his career focused on terrorism and counterterrorism, including intelligence support to complex operations and senior military and national-level decision-making.

Mike brings this operational experience into the classroom, connecting intelligence theory and analytic methodologies with their practical application to contemporary national security challenges. His academic interests include intelligence analysis, terrorism and counterterrorism, the intelligence cycle, national security policy, intelligence support to military operations, emerging technologies and the evolving role of intelligence in complex security environments.

His teaching philosophy emphasizes critical thinking, analytical rigor, intellectual curiosity and the ability to evaluate complex problems from multiple perspectives. He encourages students to challenge assumptions, identify information gaps, evaluate competing hypotheses and clearly articulate the evidence and reasoning supporting their assessments.

Mike Hollingsworth brings more than 23 years of intelligence, national security and leadership experience from a career as a U.S. Air Force intelligence officer. His professional experience spans conventional military operations, strategic intelligence, special operations, counterterrorism, intelligence analysis, operational planning, intelligence, surveillance and reconnaissance (ISR) and intelligence support to senior military and national-level decision-making.

During his military career, he served in command, staff and operational leadership positions across the Department of Defense, including assignments supporting U.S. Special Operations Command (USSOCOM), Joint Special Operations Command (JSOC), U.S. Strategic Command (USSTRATCOM) and Air Force Special Operations Command (AFSOC). His experience includes leading intelligence organizations, directing intelligence support to joint and special operations, developing intelligence and operational requirements and integrating intelligence capabilities in support of complex global missions.

A significant portion of his career focused on terrorism and counterterrorism. He served in intelligence leadership positions supporting special operations task forces and contributed to the planning and execution of time-sensitive intelligence and military operations. His assignments also included strategic intelligence support to senior U.S. government and military leaders and the development of intelligence assessments, operational plans and national security recommendations.

In addition to his operational experience, Mike has extensive experience in professional education, training and workforce development. He has developed and evaluated intelligence training programs, mentored military and civilian professionals, and translated operational lessons and contemporary national security challenges into practical learning experiences.

Following his retirement from the U.S. Air Force in 2025, Mike continued his work in the national security and defense sector while serving as an adjunct faculty member at Embry-Riddle.