Zorka Martinovich serves as a Senior Hostage Negotiation Advisor with The Soufan Group. She served the U.S. government for 30 years, retiring from the Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) after 22 years.
Zorka Martinovich
Senior Hostage Negotiation Advisor
During her tenure, Zorka displayed her capabilities managing and resolving over 100 hostage, kidnap and crisis negotiation cases globally, earning recognition as a subject matter expert. She played a pivotal role on the White House National Security Council’s Hostage Working Group, influencing U.S. policy on hostage response. Her final 13 years were spent as a Supervisory Special Agent in the Crisis Negotiation Unit (CNU) of the Critical Incident Response Group in Quantico, Virginia.
As a member of the FBI Academy adjunct faculty staff, Zorka taught and developed courses on kidnap and hostage negotiations, suicide prevention, and leadership, utilizing her deep operational experience and research. She collaborated with domestic and foreign partners, including the U.S. military at Guantanamo Bay, Cuba, to establish and enhance their crisis response capabilities.
Zorka was also responsible for designing and delivering a detailed course on Hostage Survival which was taught to all FBI personnel deploying overseas.
Zorka’s career began at the U.S. Department of Labor as a Compliance Officer, where she also served as a union steward and labor negotiator for the American Federation of Government Employees. Her contributions in negotiation and crisis response led to her selection for the FBI’s elite Critical Incident Negotiation Team, deploying on major domestic and overseas operations, kidnappings, and National Security Special Events.
Zorka holds a B.A. in Psychology from Eastern Illinois University and a Master of Industrial Relations/Dispute Resolution from Loyola University, Chicago.
Our Leadership Team
- Ali SoufanChairman & CEO
- Max RoseVice Chairman
- Andre KhouryVice President - Strategic Partnerships
- Christopher O’LearySenior Vice President - Global Operations
- Susan SimVice President - Asia
- Hesham ElgamielSr Director of Quality Assurance and Business Development
- Ammar BarghoutyDirector of Cyber Consulting & Cyber Training
- Colin P. ClarkeDirector of Research
- Elijah FergusonDirector of Support Services
- Mohamed El ShaweshDirector of Digital Media
- Dave ShellenbergerDirector of Special Operations and Tactics
- Clara BroekaertMulti-Mission Analyst
- Jillian KeschnerAnalyst
- Joseph ShelziAnalyst
- Patricia O’SheaExecutive Assistant and Office Manager
- Nathan SalesSenior Advisor
- Richard BarrettSenior Advisor
- Dennis M. FitzpatrickSenior Legal Advisor
- Kenneth KatzmanSenior Advisor
- Zorka MartinovichSenior Hostage Negotiation Advisor
- Timothy ReddingSenior Business Continuity Management Advisor
- Thomas AlbrightCrisis Management & Preparedness Consultant
- Didier Bouakaze-KhanSenior Antiquities and Cultural Heritage Consultant
- Thomas O’ConnorSenior Consultant
- Audra DeWaltPublic Corruption Consultant
- Stephanie FoggettResearch Consultant
- Martin ReardonSenior Training Consultant
- Jeffrey RingelConsultant
- Michael SucciInfrastructure and Personnel Protection Consultant
- Melissa ThomasBehavioral Analysis Consultant
- Jason WarrenInfrastructure and Personnel Protection Consultant
- Brian A. AntolIntelligence Instructor
- Amjed KuriLaw Enforcement Instructor
- Eugene CaseyInstructor
- William CorbettInstructor
- Rita AbboudExpert Interpreter & Translator
- Rita El KhouryExpert Interpreter & Translator
- Cosette N. SalibaExpert Interpreter & Translator