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Assessing “Shields Up”: Public-Private Cooperation on Domestic Cyber Defense

Assessing “Shields Up”: Public-Private Cooperation on Domestic Cyber Defense

Date: Thursday, March 30, 2023

Time: 12:00-1:00pm

Location: Senate Visitor’s Center Room 203-02,

First St NE, Washington, DC 20515

As part of the launch of NSI’s new Cyber and Tech Center, “Assessing ‘Shields Up’: Public-Private Cooperation on Domestic Cyber Defense” focused on the Cybersecurity and Infrastructure Security Agency’s “Shields Up” program effectiveness, particularly following the Russian invasion of Ukraine, and how the public and private sectors have partnered in cyber defense efforts. Key themes of the discussion included:

  • Effectiveness of U.S. domestic cyber defense efforts and deterrence strategy;
  • How the Russian invasion of Ukraine has impacted domestic cybersecurity efforts of both the public and private sector;
  • Lessons learned from Shields Up and other initiatives in terms of readiness and operational effectiveness; and
  • Public and private roles and responsibilities related to cyber defense.

Learn more about NSI’s new Cyber and Tech Center here.

Morgan Adamski: Morgan Adamski is the Chief of NSA’s Cybersecurity Collaboration Center and is responsible for leading complex and groundbreaking initiatives for NSA Cybersecurity, specifically focused on co-creating cybersecurity tradecraft through collaborations with industry to change the way we secure the nation. Most recently, as the Deputy Strategic Mission Manager, she led NSA Cybersecurity efforts to build bi-directional analytical relationships with private sector partners providing cybersecurity services to the Defense Industrial Base. Ms. Adamski has been at the forefront of NSA’s Computer Network Defense, Computer Network Exploitation, and Cyber analysis missions for more than a decade. She holds a Master’s of Science in Strategic Intelligence from Mercyhurst University and a Bachelor’s of Art in Peace, War, and Defense with a specialization in National Security from the University of North Carolina-Chapel Hill.

Curley Henry: Curley Henry is the VP & Deputy Chief Information Security Officer at the Southern Company. Curley has a broad background in information technology and security, including 20+ years of experience guiding strategic engagement, process improvement and managing globally diverse teams.

Before joining Southern Company, Curley served as a security director of E* Trade Financial, responsible for providing strategic direction and leadership in areas related to cyber threat management. Prior to his role at E* Trade, he was an Associate Director at Hewlett-Packard, where he was responsible for the Americas leading a consulting practice specialized in providing security intelligence solutions for large enterprises and organizations. Curley also served as a Global Delivery Leader in IBM’s Managed Security Service business unit. In that role, he provided solution design and delivery execution and led teams in Poland, Brazil, Belgium, Brisbane and the United States. Earlier in his career, Curley was a Department of Defense consultant where he led a team to design, build and manage the original 24×7 security operations center for the U.S. Army Reserve.

Curley began his career as an enlisted soldier in the U.S. Army Reserve, responsible for network and server management and information operations readiness.

A native of Columbus, GA, Curley studied at Georgia Institute of Technology before joining the military. He holds a Bachelor’s degree in Computer Information Systems from Saint Leo University, and also holds several security certifications.

Erin Shepley: Erin Shepley works as the Chief of the Partnerships Office within the JCDC. Shepley’s work carries across government partners, international boundaries
and critical infrastructure sectors to rapidly share relevant cyber threat information and insights and build a better picture of threats to our cyber ecosystem. Shepley has worked at DHS for over 12 years supporting the cybersecurity mission, but always with a focus on partners, and has led development and execution of CISA’s Cybersecurity Awareness Month campaign.

Jamil N. Jaffer (Moderator): Jamil N. Jaffer is the founder and executive director of the National Security Institute at George Mason University’s Antonin Scalia Law School. He previously served as chief counsel and senior adviser to the Senate Foreign Relations Committee and, among other roles, as an associate counsel to President George W. Bush in the White House.