Backstory

Kiersten E. Todt is the former Chief of Staff of the Cybersecurity and Infrastructure Security Agency (CISA). As the Chief of Staff, she was responsible for the planning, allocation of resources, and development of long-range objectives in support of the department’s goals and milestones. She oversaw the management and execution of an almost $3B budget and over 3,000 employees and contractors.

She currently serves in an advisory role to CISA’s Director. She is also a strategic advisor to venture capital firms and technology companies, focused on open source software, memory safe language, and neurodiversity, and to the Data and Trust Alliance, which is a CEO-led cross-sector industry effort to create standards for data provenance and high-risk use of artificial intelligence.

Prior to her role at CISA, Kiersten was the Managing Director of the Cyber Readiness Institute (CRI), a non-profit initiative that develops free cybersecurity tools and resources for small businesses, worldwide. She co-founded CRI with the CEOs of Mastercard, Microsoft, PSP Partners, and the retired CEO of IBM. She has worked extensively with senior leaders in industry on cyber risk management, including senior executive and Board education and briefings on threats.

Her wide-ranging service to the Federal Government includes serving as a professional staff member in the U.S. Senate, where she co-drafted the legislation to create the Department of Homeland Security, and as Executive Director of President Obama’s independent, bipartisan Commission on Enhancing National Cybersecurity.

Ms. Todt’s commentary is featured frequently in national television and print media.

Kiersten graduated from Princeton University, with a degree in public policy and a certificate in African-American studies. She holds a master’s degree in public policy and a certificate in negotiation and conflict resolution from the John F. Kennedy School of Government at Harvard University.