Whitefish Security Summit
An invitation-focused forum for senior leaders in defense, intelligence, policy, technology, and media — held in Whitefish, Montana.
Visit the Whitefish Security Summit Website →
About the Summit
The Whitefish Security Summit (WSS) is an invitation-focused gathering of senior leaders from the intelligence community, special operations, diplomacy, technology, and media. Co-developed by Whitefish Security Summit founder Jeffrey Caruso and Lobo Institute co-founders Michael “Mick” Mulroy and Eric “Olly” Oehlerich, the Summit is designed to support frank, cross-sector dialogue on the most pressing global security challenges of the moment — from geopolitical conflict and cyber threats to autonomous and advanced military technologies, irregular warfare, and the role of media and storytelling in shaping policy.
The format is deliberately small. With approximately thirty speakers and a strict cap of around 170 attendees, the Summit prioritizes substantive engagement over auditorium-style programming. Participants interact directly with presenters in small-group settings and off-the-record conversations, drawing inspiration from international forums such as the Aspen Security Forum and the Munich Security Conference, but with a distinctly American-West character rooted in Whitefish, Montana.
The inaugural Summit took place April 2–3, 2026, at the Whitefish Performing Arts Center as the final event under the Montana Intelligence Summit name and a preview of the expanded WSS format. Beginning in 2027, WSS launches as a recurring, invitation-focused gathering with an expanded scope spanning defense, technology, geopolitical risk, and the intersection of national security and storytelling.
In the Press
Whitefish Pilot — March 25, 2026
Whitefish veterans organize national security summit — By Kelsey Evans
A profile of Lobo Institute co-founders Eric Oehlerich and Mick Mulroy and the launch of the inaugural Whitefish Security Summit. The article traces how two veterans of more than two decades of service turned a long-running friendship into a Whitefish-based institute and an annual security forum, with retired Gen. Stanley McChrystal among the inaugural speakers.
Read the full article at the Whitefish Pilot →
USA Today / Pinion Newswire — February 13, 2026
Montana Intelligence Summit Partners With Lobo Institute to Launch Whitefish Security Summit
The press announcement of the partnership between the Montana Intelligence Summit, founded by Jeffrey Caruso, and the Lobo Institute to launch the Whitefish Security Summit. The release outlines the Summit’s invitation-focused format, its cap of approximately 170 attendees alongside 30 speakers, and its expanded scope across defense, technology, and geopolitical risk beginning in 2027.
Read the full announcement at USA Today →
Principals
- Jeffrey Caruso — Founder, Whitefish Security Summit. Cyber-warfare researcher, author of Inside Cyber Warfare, and a U.S. Coast Guard veteran.
- Michael “Mick” Mulroy — Co-Founder, Lobo Institute. Former U.S. Deputy Assistant Secretary of Defense for the Middle East, retired CIA Paramilitary Operations Officer, retired U.S. Marine, and ABC News national security analyst.
- Eric “Olly” Oehlerich — Co-Founder and Operations Manager, Lobo Institute. Retired Navy SEAL officer and former Commanding Officer of DEVGRU (Squadron 2).
Attend or Learn More
WSS attendance is invitation-focused and capped to preserve the Summit’s small-group format. For event details, speaker rosters, and inquiries, visit the official Whitefish Security Summit website.
