Wesley Winkler

Wes has spent his career at the intersection of influence, strategy, and technology. His journey began in East Africa, working directly with local communities—a formative experience that sparked a lifelong curiosity about how people shape, and are shaped by, the information around them. This path led him to study Strategic Intelligence, delve into early research on digital cryptographic financial networks, and ultimately serve in the U.S. Army, as a psychological operations and information warfare expert. Throughout his military career, Wes operated across the Indo-Pacific, developing influence strategies to support vulnerable populations, counter foreign malign influence, and design regionally tailored influence campaigns. Following his military service, Wes transitioned into the technology sector, where he has worked with government agencies and private organizations to develop AI-driven tools for detecting and mitigating malicious influence operations. He also played a role in developing modern influence training for the Department of Defense. Through these varied experiences, Wes has come to believe that the most effective counter to manipulation isn’t more control—but more connection. His current work with Cogent Gray focuses on applying influence theory at the community level, with a commitment to building systems that promote resilience, agency, and human flourishing.