Miles Jamison 
- Former CIA executive Maura Burns has joined Fuse Energy’s advisory board to strengthen its national security expertise
- Burns will bring decades of intelligence, engineering and counterproliferation leadership experience to the company
- The appointment supports Fuse’s expansion of radiation effects testing for government and commercial customers
Former CIA official and past Wash100 Award winner Maura Burns has joined the advisory board of California-based company Fuse Energy Technologies.
What Experience Does Maura Burns Bring?
Fuse said Thursday Burns has spent decades in leadership roles within the intelligence and national security communities, overseeing missions involving engineering, counterproliferation and intelligence. Most recently, she served as the CIA’s chief operating officer, leading enterprise-wide operations.
Earlier, Burns served as assistant director of the agency’s Weapons and Counterproliferation Mission Center, directing worldwide initiatives involving weapons analysis, intelligence collection and operational activities. She started out her career at the agency as an engineer and intelligence analyst.
Why Is Fuse Expanding Its Advisory Board?
Fuse said Burns’ appointment strengthens its expertise at the intersection of national security and fusion energy. The company is advancing radiation effects testing to support government and commercial customers while developing technologies needed to enable commercial fusion energy.
Founder and CEO JC Btaiche said Fuse’s testing capabilities help validate the resilience of national security systems under demanding conditions. He said Burns’ experience assessing adversary capabilities and countering proliferation will support the company as it expands.
“Maura has spent her career at the center of the mission to understand adversary capabilities and prevent their spread. Her insight will be invaluable as we grow,” Btaiche added.
Burns’ appointment follows Fuse’s June 2025 expansion of its advisory board with the addition of retired Adm. Charles Richard, former National Security Agency Deputy Director Bill Crowell, former Army Undersecretary and Lockheed Martin executive Greg Dahlberg and former Department of Justice official Amy Kurren, a former Palantir executive.
