The U.S. Cybersecurity and Infrastructure Security Agency (CISA) on Monday announced that it has appointed Kiersten Todt as its new chief of staff.
Before joining CISA as chief of staff, Todt served as managing director of the non-profit Cyber Readiness Institute (CRI). She also served as president and managing partner at risk management consulting firm Liberty Group Ventures between 2012 and 2016.
As for roles in the government, Todt served in 2016 as the executive director of President Barack Obama’s independent commission on enhancing national cybersecurity.
At CISA, where she will replace Acting Chief of Staff Kate Nichols, Todt will “spearhead the planning, allocation of resources, and development of long-range objectives in support of CISA’s goals and provide strategic vision and direction to enable and empower CISA’s workforce.”
Todt was one of the many industry professionals who voiced their support for Christopher Krebs, the former CISA director who was fired by President Donald Trump in November 2020 after he refuted claims of electoral fraud and vouched for the integrity of the 2020 presidential election.
“I am thrilled to welcome Kiersten as our new Chief of Staff and my close partner in continuing the transformation of CISA as the nation’s cyber and infrastructure defense agency,” said CISA Director Jen Easterly. “Her experiences in the private sector and in government make her extraordinarily well-qualified for this critical role. I am particularly excited to be able to draw upon Kiersten’s leadership ability and her deep partnerships with industry, to include the small business community—a key element of our nation’s economy.”
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