Jen Easterly

The daughter of an enlisted Vietnam War veteran,{{cite AV media|url=https://slate.com/podcasts/what-next-tbd/2024/10/what-americas-director-of-cybersecurity-worries-about|title=How Secure Is Our Election? Why you can be confident in America's electoral integrity, even as confidence in American democracy is plummeting.|author=Lizzie O'Leary|publisher=Slate|date=October 20, 2024}} Easterly was raised in Potomac, Maryland and attended Winston Churchill High School and graduated as valedictorian in 1986. She earned a bachelor's degree from the United States Military Academy in 1990 and a Master of Arts in politics, philosophy, and economics from Pembroke College, Oxford, where she studied as a Rhodes Scholar.{{Cite news|date=2021-10-05|title=Transcript: Securing Cyberspace with Jen Easterly|language=en|newspaper=The Washington Post|url=https://www.washingtonpost.com/washington-post-live/2021/10/05/transcript-securing-cyberspace-with-jen-easterly/|access-date=2022-01-13|issn=0190-8286}}{{Cite web|title=Jen Easterly|url=http://newamerica.org/our-people/jen-easterly/|access-date=2021-04-14|website=New America (organization)|language=en}}{{cite news |url=https://www.nytimes.com/1989/12/11/us/32-americans-awarded-rhodes-scholarships.html |title=32 Americans Awarded Rhodes Scholarships |date=December 11, 1989 |newspaper=The New York Times |access-date=2022-04-15}}{{cite news |url=https://www.washingtonpost.com/archive/local/1989/12/16/four-from-dc-area-make-the-rhodes-scholarship-grade/b9e317d2-8021-4d42-9898-3e2128049dbd/ |title=Four from D.C. Area Make the Rhodes Scholarship Grade |first=Jenice |last=Armstrong |date=December 16, 1989 |newspaper=The Washington Post |access-date=2022-04-15}}

Easterly served in the United States Army for twenty years and was an assistant professor of social sciences at the United States Military Academy. She was approved for promotion to major in 2000, lieutenant colonel in 2006 and colonel in 2012.{{cite web |url=https://www.congress.gov/nomination/106th-congress/1247 |title=PN1247 — Army — 106th Congress (1999-2000) |date=October 6, 2000 |website=U.S. Congress |access-date=2022-04-15}}{{cite web |url=https://www.congress.gov/nomination/109th-congress/1883 |title=PN1883 — Army — 109th Congress (2005-2006) |date=September 29, 2006 |website=U.S. Congress |access-date=2022-04-15}}{{cite web |url=https://www.congress.gov/nomination/112th-congress/1278 |title=PN1278 — Army — 112th Congress (2011-2012) |date=February 17, 2012 |website=U.S. Congress |access-date=2022-04-15}}

From 2002 to 2004, she was executive assistant to the National Security advisor.{{Cite web|title=Biden Beefs Up Cyber Team with NSA, DHS Veterans in Key Roles at White House, CISA, DHS|url=https://www.hstoday.us/people-on-the-move/biden-beefs-up-cyber-team-with-nsa-dhs-veterans-in-key-roles-at-white-house-cisa-dhs/|access-date=2021-04-19|website=Homeland Security Today|date=12 April 2021|language=en-US}}{{Cite book |last=Rice |first=Condoleezza |url=https://books.google.com/books?id=omsjfwomwSoC&dq=Jen+Easterly&pg=PA207 |title=No Higher Honor: A Memoir of My Years in Washington |date=September 2012 |publisher=Broadway Paperbacks |isbn=978-0-307-98678-8 |pages=207 |language=en}} From 2004 to 2006, she was a battalion executive officer and brigade operations officer in the 704th Military Intelligence Brigade, a subordinate unit of the United States Army Intelligence and Security Command. Easterly was deployed to Baghdad as chief of the cryptologic services group for the National Security Agency. She also worked for NSA's elite Tailored Access Operations.

From 2009 to 2010, Easterly served on the United States Cyber Command, which she helped establish.{{cite web |url=https://www.politico.com/news/2021/07/12/senate-confirms-jen-easterly-cyber-499335 |title=Senate confirms Jen Easterly as head of U.S. cyber agency |last=Geller |first=Eric |publisher=POLITICO |date=July 12, 2021 |website=politico.com |access-date=July 13, 2021}} From 2010 to 2011, Easterly was a cyber advisor for the NSA stationed in Kabul. After retiring from the Army as a lieutenant colonel, she served as deputy director of the NSA for counterterrorism from May 2011 to October 2013.{{Cite web|title=Jen Easterly's Mission-Driven Purpose|url=https://www.morganstanley.com/blog/multicultural/a-life-of-leadership-and-service|access-date=2021-04-14|website=Morgan Stanley|language=en}}

From October 2013 to February 2016, Easterly was a special assistant to President Barack Obama and senior director for counterterrorism on the National Security Council. After the end of the Obama administration, Easterly joined Morgan Stanley as global head of the company's cybersecurity division.{{Cite web|date=2021-04-12|title=Statement by National Security Advisor Jake Sullivan on National Cyber Director and CISA Director Nominations|url=https://bidenwhitehouse.archives.gov/briefing-room/statements-releases/2021/04/12/statement-by-national-security-advisor-jake-sullivan-on-national-cyber-director-and-cisa-director-nominations/|access-date=2021-04-14|website=The White House|language=en-US}}{{Cite web|title=Jennifer Easterly|url=https://nationalsecurity.gmu.edu/jennifer-easterly/|access-date=2021-04-14|website=National Security Institute|language=en-US|archive-date=2021-04-14|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20210414205521/https://nationalsecurity.gmu.edu/jennifer-easterly/|url-status=dead}}

In April 2021, President Joe Biden nominated Easterly to serve as the second Director of the Cybersecurity and Infrastructure Security Agency.{{Cite web |last=Geller |first=Eric |date=2021-04-12 |title=Biden names former NSA officials to key cybersecurity positions |url=https://www.politico.com/news/2021/04/12/biden-nominates-former-nsa-officials-480945 |access-date=2023-11-28 |website=POLITICO |language=en}} An uncontroversial nominee, Easterly received general praise for her qualifications from senators and media outlets. She was confirmed by voice vote{{Cite web |title=PN420 — Jen Easterly — Department of Homeland Security | date=12 July 2021 |url=https://www.congress.gov/nomination/117th-congress/420?q=%7B%22search%22%3A%5B%22easterly%22%5D%7D&s=1&r=1}} after being temporarily held up for outside reasons. Easterly was sworn into office on July 13, 2021.{{cite web |title=Statement from New CISA Director Jen Easterly {{!}} CISA |url=https://www.cisa.gov/news/2021/07/13/statement-new-cisa-director-jen-easterly |website=www.cisa.gov|date=13 July 2021 }}

As director, Easterly argued that U.S. intelligence sharing efforts with Ukrainian government officials ahead of the 2022 Russian invasion should be a model for combating China-based hacking groups.{{Cite web |last=Vasquez |first=Christian |date=2023-06-12 |title=Ukraine information sharing a model for countering China, top cyber official says |url=https://cyberscoop.com/information-sharing-china-threat/ |access-date=2023-11-28 |website=CyberScoop |language=en-US}} In 2023, Easterly stated that potential cybersecurity threats posed by artificial intelligence (AI) development meant that the government should implement systemic safeguards.{{Cite news |date=2023-11-28 |title=AI threat demands new approach to security designs -US official |language=en |work=Reuters |url=https://www.reuters.com/technology/cybersecurity/ai-threat-demands-new-approach-security-designs-us-official-2023-11-27/ |access-date=2023-11-28}}

While Easterly led CISA it came under significant scrutiny for censorship work, and an attempted cover up, in 2023. {{Cite press release |date=2023-06-26 |title=New Report Reveals CISA Tried to Cover Up Censorship Practices |language=en |work=House Judiciary |url=https://judiciary.house.gov/media/press-releases/new-report-reveals-cisa-tried-cover-censorship-practices |access-date=2025-02-08}}

Easterly stepped down from her position on January 20, 2025.{{cite web |title=Jen Easterly, CISA Director, to Step Down on Inauguration Day |url=https://www.darkreading.com/vulnerabilities-threats/jen-easterly-cisa-director-resign-inauguration-day |website=Dark Reading |access-date=2025-01-22}}

{{cite magazine |title=Under Trump, US Cyberdefense Loses Its Head | url=https://www.wired.com/story/big-interview-jen-easterly-cisa-cybersecurity/|magazine=Wired |access-date=2025-02-02| last1=Newman| first1=Lily Hay}} Shortly thereafter, she signed as an exclusive speaker with the Washington Speakers Bureau, where she shares insights on cybersecurity and national security.{{cite web|title=Washington Speakers Bureau Announces Exclusive Representation of Cybersecurity Pioneer Jen Easterly |url=https://www.prnewswire.com/news-releases/washington-speakers-bureau-announces-exclusive-representation-of-cybersecurity-pioneer-jen-easterly-302398820.html|website=PR Newswire|date=March 13, 2025 |access-date=March 20, 2025}}

• Bronze Star (multiple awards){{Cite web|title=Jen Easterly {{!}} CISA|url=https://www.cisa.gov/jen-easterly|access-date=2022-01-13|website=Cybersecurity and Infrastructure Security Agency|language=en}}
• 2018 James W. Foley Legacy Foundation American Hostage Freedom Award{{Cite web|title=Awards & Fellows|url=https://jamesfoleyfoundation.org/awards-fellowships|access-date=2022-01-16|website=jamesfoleyfoundation.org|language=en}}

Easterly is the daughter of Noel Clinton Koch and June Quint Koch. She married attorney Jason Tighe Easterly in Potomac, Maryland on April 3, 2004.{{cite news |url=https://www.nytimes.com/2004/04/04/style/weddings-celebrations-jennie-koch-jason-easterly.html |title=Weddings/Celebrations: Jennie Koch, Jason Easterly |date=April 4, 2004 |newspaper=The New York Times |access-date=2022-04-15}} They have a son.{{cite web |url=https://agln.aspeninstitute.org/profile/4543 |title=Jen Easterly |website=Aspen Global Leadership Network |publisher=The Aspen Institute |access-date=2022-04-16}} Judge Catharine Easterly of the District of Columbia Court of Appeals is her sister-in-law.{{cite web |url=https://www.legacy.com/us/obituaries/timesdispatch/name/harry-easterly-obituary?id=5395463 |title=Obituary: Harry Watkey Easterly, Jr. |date=June 16, 2005 |newspaper=Richmond Times-Dispatch |access-date=2022-05-27}}{{cite web |url=https://richmond.com/obituaries/easterly-mary/article_418d13b1-eddc-58d5-9e94-037175cdbe20.html#tncms-source=login |title=Obituary: Mary Easterly |date=March 21, 2018 |newspaper=Richmond Times-Dispatch |access-date=2022-05-27}}

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