DHS has announced that the senior director for cybersecurity in the White House, Dr. Andy Ozment will act as the new assistant secretary for cybersecurity and communications in the DHS National Protection and Programs Directorate’s Office of Cybersecurity and Communications.
The CS&C is responsible for enhancing the security, resilience, and reliability of the nation’s cyber and communications infrastructure. DHS announced additional leadership changes there following the release by the National Institutes of Standards and Technology of a first Framework for Improving Critical Infrastructure Cybersecurity recently.
In addition to Ozment (who has a software engineering background and has served in operational and policy roles in DHS and DoD), DHS said retired Air Force Brigadier General Gregory Touhill is to serve as the deputy assistant secretary for cybersecurity operations and programs.
Touhill (the former CIO of US Transportation Command) is an experienced manager and his background includes large and complex acquisitions. DHS said he will focus on the development and implementation of operational programs designed to protect government networks and critical systems that run power plants and utilities, such as the Continuous Diagnostics and Mitigation program and the 24X7 National Cybersecurity and Communications Integration Center, according to DHS.
Roberta (“Bobbie”) Stempfley, the former CIO at the Defense Information Systems Agency, will move from acting assistant secretary to deputy assistant secretary for cybersecurity strategy and emergency communications, overseeing emergency communications, developing and implementing strategy and policy efforts, and focusing on building on partnerships with the public and private sectors, DHS said.
