Jim Semivan is a retired CIA operations officer who served 25 years in the National Clandestine Service, rising to the Senior Intelligence Service before retiring in 2007.
He co-founded To The Stars Inc. in 2017 and has spoken publicly about a personal 1990 close encounter and the challenges of UAP disclosure.
- 25-year CIA career ending 2007 as Senior Intelligence Service member; awarded Career Intelligence Medal.
- B.S. and B.A. from Ohio State University; M.A. English Literature, San Francisco State University.
- Co-founded To The Stars Academy with Tom DeLonge and Hal Puthoff in 2017; serves as Vice President of Operations.
- Described 1990 encounter with entities and ongoing high-strangeness in 2022 Coast to Coast AM interview.
- Has stated in 2025 interviews that even senior insiders do not fully understand the phenomenon.
- United StatesCitizen
- Central Intelligence Agency25-year career, Senior Intelligence Service
- National Clandestine ServiceOperations Officer 25 years
- To The Stars Inc.Co-founder, Vice President of Operations since 2017
- Career Intelligence MedalAwarded upon 2007 retirement
- The Ohio State UniversityB.S. and B.A. degrees
Background
Jim Semivan earned a B.S. and B.A. from The Ohio State University followed by an M.A. in English Literature from San Francisco State University. He entered the CIA after graduate studies and began a career as an operations officer. His service included multiple overseas and domestic tours as well as senior management roles at headquarters. Semivan rose to membership in the CIA’s Senior Intelligence Service during his 25-year tenure in the National Clandestine Service.
He retired from the CIA in 2007 and received the agency’s Career Intelligence Medal for his service. After retirement Semivan founded the consulting firm JimSem1, Inc. and provided classified support to the intelligence community on leadership training, tradecraft, and counterproliferation topics until approximately 2019. Throughout his government career he kept any personal interest in anomalies private.
In 1990 Semivan and his wife experienced a close encounter in their bedroom involving entities. The event was followed by intermittent poltergeist-like activity in their home. He later shared details of the incident publicly, including on the January 30, 2022 episode of Coast to Coast AM hosted by George Knapp. Semivan has described the beings as resembling armored figures and noted subsequent interactions with researchers studying such phenomena.
Semivan became publicly associated with UAP topics after co-founding To The Stars Academy of Arts & Science in 2017 alongside Tom DeLonge and Hal Puthoff. The organization combined entertainment, science, and aerospace efforts to examine UAP data and materials. He served as Vice President of Operations and participated in efforts that contributed to increased public attention on the subject.
In multiple interviews from 2022 through 2025 Semivan stated that UAP represent non-human intelligence and that government programs have studied the topic since at least 1947. He emphasized that he held no official decision-making role on UAP matters while at the CIA. Semivan has repeatedly noted that the phenomenon exhibits capabilities beyond known physics and may involve consciousness-related aspects.
Semivan has cautioned that abrupt or complete disclosure could produce widespread ontological shock. He has described the topic as a “wicked problem” where even cleared insiders lack full understanding. In 2025 interviews he reiterated that the phenomenon itself may influence the pace and content of any revelations to the public.
Semivan moved with his wife to Lewes, Delaware in 2017. He continues to appear in podcasts and forums discussing UAP, experiencer support, and the societal implications of contact. His statements remain consistent with the view that UAP are genuine but that responsible transparency must account for psychological impacts.
Where They Are Now
As of October 2026 Jim Semivan resides in Lewes, Delaware and remains Vice President of Operations at To The Stars Inc. He continues to participate in public discussions on UAP through interviews and advisory roles.
Semivan maintains his long-standing interest in the topic while emphasizing cautious approaches to disclosure.
Last updated 25 October 2026