Peter “Pete” W. Ashooh ’79, P ’13
Pete grew up in Fairfax County, Virginia. While at William & Mary, he was a member of Pi Lamda Phi fraternity, competed on the AAU karate team and helped found the security escort service.
Upon graduation, Pete joined the FBI and became a special agent. Over the course of his career, Pete served in the New Orleans, Newark, and Washington Field Divisions. He served as a supervisory tactical instructor at the FBI Academy for three years. In the field, Pete investigated the mafia and other organized crime groups and later was a responder to the Pentagon on 9/11. He was thereafter immersed in the counterterrorism world, traveling to dozens of foreign countries until his retirement after 35 years in 2014. He subsequently returned as a Department of Defense liaison for another five years. He also served as a firearms, defensive tactics and tactical instructor, and a frequent lecturer at the FBI Academy. Pete also held externships at the FBI for W&M students, several of whom eventually joined the FBI. Pete also spent many years working undercover and served as the undercover agent in more than 20 separate operations.
Pete is also a recently published author. His book, “Chasing Shadows: Terrorists, Gangsters and Bankers and the Al Capone Method: The FBI in a Post 9/11 World,” is a firsthand account of his experiences in the response to the 9/11 terrorist attacks as he and colleagues worked to prevent future attacks and employ criminal investigative methods rather than just intelligence collection efforts.
Pete has been involved in the martial arts for over 50 years and currently holds a Ninth-Degree Black belt in Okinawan Karate. He teaches classes for Stafford County Community Recreation several nights a week and at seminars around the country. He and his wife, Wini, spend as much time as possible with their three sons (one of whom is a 2013 W&M grad) and two grandkids. He is a member of the W&M Asian, Pacific Islander, Middle Eastern Alumni Advisory Board.
“My connection with William & Mary goes back a long way. I graduated from W&M in 1979. My youngest son graduated from W&M in 2013, almost 50 years later. During my 35 year career with the FBI, I hosted numerous externships for William & Mary students, including holding several at the FBI Academy in Quantico, Virginia. Recently I published a book about my time with the FBI post 9/11, and the first thing I mention in the About the Author section is my being a graduate of William & Mary.
“Currently I serve on the Asian, Pacific Island, Middle Eastern (APIM) Alumni Advisory Board. I have greatly enjoyed the camaraderie and diverse perspectives of my fellow members, and of having a chance to provide a positive perspective to government service. I am looking forward to serving as a member of the Alumni Association Board and the wonderful opportunity to further support my Alma Mater of the Nation.”