LOUISVILLE, Ky. — 2022 is the 50th anniversary of women special agents of the FBI. As the Bureau celebrates, we wanted to introduce you to some of them. 

What You Need To Know

  • On July 17, 1972, the first women agents started their training at the FBI Academy

  • By the end of 1972, 11 women had become special agents

  • Women serve in each of the FBI’s 56 field offices

  • Jodi Cohen is FBI Louisville’s Special Agent in Charge

FBI Special Agent in Charge (SAC) Jodi Cohen’s has been with the FBI for almost 17 years, and recently joined the Louisville field office in 2021.

As a kid, she didn’t always know she wanted to be in the FBI. This is actually her second career.

“I was always intrigued by the FBI. But, in my first career, I was a physical therapist. I did that for a couple of years. Decided that although I loved it and enjoyed it, it wasn’t a calling for me. I did some thinking about what I really wanted to do, and the FBI was it.” Cohen explained.

SAC Cohen and her team oversee about 240 people. Professional staff, analysts and agents across the state. Cohen started her FBI career in New York, where she was born and raised. Her last post was at FBI Headquarters, in Washington, D.C.. There, she was the Chief of Staff for the highest level executive at the national security branch. She tells me she loves her job inside-and-out.

“It’s unbelievable to me. I think this job has a lot of responsibility and care about every single person that works for you. Take that to heart every day and the fact that I have the blessing to do it, I just feel like I won the lottery.” S.A.C. Cohen explained.

2022 marks 50 years since the first women entered the FBI’s Training Academy. FBI.gov says just 10 days after J. Edgar Hoover died in May 1972, the acting director at the time changed a long-standing policy and announced the FBI would accept applications from women to be special agents. According to the website, Joanne Pierce and Susan Roley started their training at the FBI Academy in Quantico, Virginia, on July 17, 1972. By year’s end, 11 women were sworn in as special agents.

“I was able to go back to the 50 year celebration back at headquarters when they brought back the first two agents that went through the academy. And it was amazing to listen to their stories and what they had to go through to get there and they paved the way for people like myself,” SAC Cohen said. “So, I think it’s an honor.”

Reflecting on the 50th anniversary sparks a memory in Supervisory Special Agent (SSA) Kimberly Milka’s mind, something that her mother-in-law told her years ago.

“I invited my mother-in-law to my graduation from the FBI academy and I remember her saying that she was so proud of me and it was something that wasn’t, the opportunity was not afforded to her when she was younger or my age. So, that really stuck in the back of my mind for a number of years. So, when we reflect on the 50th anniversary of female agents being accepted into the FBI academy, that really comes to mind,” Milka explained. Milka also serves as Director of the Kentucky Regional Computer Forensics Laboratory.

Milka has been with the FBI for 12 years. Growing up, she wanted to be in the FBI, but she never thought it was possible. Most of her career though has been in law enforcement. She’s originally from Rockford, Illinois, and started with the FBI in 2010. She told Spectrum News 1 that she loves her job.

“I love the ingenuity of the people that I work with. We always say we are successful in spite of ourselves.” S.S.A. Milka explained to Spectrum News.

According to the FBI, today women are still underrepresented as special agents, but they are a growing and essential part of the bureau. In fact, women serve in each of the agency’s 56 field offices. Many of them led by women.

SSA Milka tells people about the FBI whenever she can.

“So any opportunity that I can to speak to, recruit, I usually try to take advantage of, because I want people to see that yes, women can carry a gun. Yes, they can be in the FBI,” Milka said.

 

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FBI Special Agent in Charge (SAC) Jodi Cohen’s has been with the FBI for almost 17 years, and recently joined the Louisville field office in 2021.

As a kid, she didn’t always know she wanted to be in the FBI. This is actually her second career.

“I was always intrigued by the FBI. But, in my first career, I was a physical therapist. I did that for a couple of years. Decided that although I loved it and enjoyed it, it wasn’t a calling for me. I did some thinking about what I really wanted to do, and the FBI was it.” Cohen explained.

SAC Cohen and her team oversee about 240 people. Professional staff, analysts and agents across the state. Cohen started her FBI career in New York, where she was born and raised. Her last post was at FBI Headquarters, in Washington, D.C.. There, she was the Chief of Staff for the highest level executive at the national security branch. She tells me she loves her job inside-and-out.

“It’s unbelievable to me. I think this job has a lot of responsibility and care about every single person that works for you. Take that to heart every day and the fact that I have the blessing to do it, I just feel like I won the lottery.” S.A.C. Cohen explained.

2022 marks 50 years since the first women entered the FBI’s Training Academy. FBI.gov says just 10 days after J. Edgar Hoover died in May 1972, the acting director at the time changed a long-standing policy and announced the FBI would accept applications from women to be special agents. According to the website, Joanne Pierce and Susan Roley started their training at the FBI Academy in Quantico, Virginia, on July 17, 1972. By year’s end, 11 women were sworn in as special agents.

“I was able to go back to the 50 year celebration back at headquarters when they brought back the first two agents that went through the academy. And it was amazing to listen to their stories and what they had to go through to get there and they paved the way for people like myself,” SAC Cohen said. “So, I think it’s an honor.”

Reflecting on the 50th anniversary sparks a memory in Supervisory Special Agent (SSA) Kimberly Milka’s mind, something that her mother-in-law told her years ago.

“I invited my mother-in-law to my graduation from the FBI academy and I remember her saying that she was so proud of me and it was something that wasn’t, the opportunity was not afforded to her when she was younger or my age. So, that really stuck in the back of my mind for a number of years. So, when we reflect on the 50th anniversary of female agents being accepted into the FBI academy, that really comes to mind,” Milka explained. Milka also serves as Director of the Kentucky Regional Computer Forensics Laboratory.

Milka has been with the FBI for 12 years. Growing up, she wanted to be in the FBI, but she never thought it was possible. Most of her career though has been in law enforcement. She’s originally from Rockford, Illinois, and started with the FBI in 2010. She told Spectrum News 1 that she loves her job.

“I love the ingenuity of the people that I work with. We always say we are successful in spite of ourselves.” S.S.A. Milka explained to Spectrum News.

According to the FBI, today women are still underrepresented as special agents, but they are a growing and essential part of the bureau. In fact, women serve in each of the agency’s 56 field offices. Many of them led by women.

SSA Milka tells people about the FBI whenever she can.

“So any opportunity that I can to speak to, recruit, I usually try to take advantage of, because I want people to see that yes, women can carry a gun. Yes, they can be in the FBI,” Milka said.