As U.S. federal agencies sharpen their focus on cyber defense and resilience, new leadership is taking shape across top cyber posts. This week, the Senate Homeland Security and Governmental Affairs Committee advanced the nomination of Sean Cairncross to serve as National Cyber Director, while the Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) named Brett Leatherman to head its Cyber Division. Meanwhile, the Cybersecurity and Infrastructure Security Agency (CISA) welcomed two new senior officials to help steer its mission. These shifts reflect a broader push to bolster the measures rolled out by the administration of President Donald Trump to counter fast-evolving digital threats.
The Senate Committee considered the nomination of Cairncross to serve as National Cyber Director in the Executive Office of the President. The committee voted to report the nomination favorably by a roll call vote, with 11 members in support and one opposed. Three Democrats on the committee backed Cairncross for consideration by the full Senate. Among them was Senator Gary Peters of Michigan, the committee’s ranking member, who has been a leading voice on cybersecurity policy in the Senate.
Cairncross is the chief operating officer for the Republican National Committee and a former senior adviser to the president.
At his hearing, Cairncross emphasized that the U.S. needs to use offensive cyber operations more frequently, a view in line with the Trump administration. He acknowledged that he lacks a ‘technical background in cyber’ but told senators that his management experience in the private sector and at the federal Millennium Challenge Corporation makes him a strong candidate for the position.
“I’ve had to deal with foreign nation attacks on our systems,” he said at his hearing. “On the user side, I have that experience.”
Cairncross has support from several cybersecurity leaders, including Chris Inglis, the first National Cyber Director who is widely respected for his cyber expertise.
The FBI named Leatherman as the new Assistant Director of its Cyber Division. A veteran FBI Special Agent with more than 20 years of experience, Leatherman most recently served as deputy assistant director of cyber operations. Over his career, he has led programs in counterterrorism, counterintelligence, criminal investigations, cyber operations, and crisis management, bringing a broad and practical perspective to today’s complex cyber threat landscape.
The FBI’s Cyber Division operates at the crossroads of law enforcement and national security, aiming to disrupt both criminal and nation-state cyber adversaries. The division will continue to focus on joint operations with domestic, international, and industry partners, while delivering timely intelligence and support to victims of cyberattacks. Leatherman said he is honored to keep serving alongside the dedicated professionals of FBI Cyber who work around the clock to defend the nation.
Meanwhile, the CISA welcomed two senior leaders to its team. Jeff Conklin was sworn in as CISA’s new chief security officer, having previously held CSO and CIO roles at U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services, as well as serving as deputy CIO for the U.S. Coast Guard.
Casie Antalis steps in as program director of the Joint Cyber Coordination Group, which works across CISA to coordinate cybersecurity initiatives and activities within the Department of Homeland Security (DHS). She has served in several senior positions at the DHS, including Principal Deputy Assistant Secretary for the Office of Counterterrorism, Threat Prevention, and Law Enforcement, and Deputy Assistant Secretary for Screening and Vetting.
CISA said Conklin and Antalis bring deep expertise and leadership that will help drive the agency’s cybersecurity mission forward.
The National Nuclear Security Administration, a semi-autonomous agency within the Department of Energy, has named Ross Graber as its chief information security officer. Graber stepped into the role on June 30, succeeding Scott Engelson, who will remain at NNSA as senior advisor for cybersecurity.
