The National Security Institute (NSI) and the Embassies of Lithuania and Czechia will host an insightful panel discussion on the future of collective defense in the era of cyber conflict. Her Excellency Audra Plepytė, Ambassador of Lithuania to the United States, and Jan Havránek, Deputy Chief of Mission of Czechia to the United States, will share insights on strengthening NATO’s cyber deterrence posture, the evolving threat landscape posed by Russia and China, and the urgent need to clarify thresholds for collective response under Article 5.
As adversaries increasingly turn to cyber and hybrid tactics to destabilize allied nations—ranging from critical infrastructure attacks to influence operations—the conversation will explore how NATO can modernize its doctrine to meet 21st-century challenges.
The panel will be moderated by Martha Miller, Deputy Executive Director of NSI.
Event Details:
Date: Wednesday, May 28, 2025
Time: 12:00 – 1:00 pm ET
Location: Capitol Hill
Guest Speakers:
- Ambassador Audra Plepytė, Ambassador of Lithuania to the United States
- Jan Havránek, Deputy Chief of Mission of Czechia to the United States
- [Moderator] Martha Miller, NSI Deputy Executive Director
Speaker Bios:
Ambassador Audra Plepytė
Ambassador Audra Plepytė assumed the duties of Ambassador of Lithuania to the U.S. in May 2021. Prior to her appointment, she was Permanent Representative of Lithuania to the United Nations from 2017 to 2021. Ambassador Plepytė served as Director of the European Union Department at the Ministry for Foreign Affairs from 2014 to 2017. She was Lithuania’s Ambassador to Spain and the World Tourism Organization between 2010 and 2014, and the Director of the Ministry’s Personnel Department from 2009 to 2010. Her other assignments within the Ministry of Foreign Affairs included leading the International Missions and Conflict Prevention Division (2008-2009), serving as Deputy Representative to the Political and Security Committee within Lithuania’s Permanent Representation to the European Union in Brussels (2004-2008), and heading the Human Rights and Non-Governmental Organizations Division (2003-2004). Her service also included postings as Deputy Permanent Representative and Counsellor at the Permanent Mission of Lithuania to the United Nations (1999-2002), Counsellor at Lithuania’s Embassy to the United States (1999), Head of the Foreign Ministry’s Northern European Division (1998-1999) and Advisor to the CBSS Commissioner for Democratic Institutions and Human Rights (1997-1998). Ambassador Plepytė has BA and MA in Philosophy at Vilnius University. She also has a diploma from the Institute of International Relations at Vilnius University, as well as a certificate of Diplomatic studies at Oxford University in UK.
Jan Hvranek
Martha Miller
As Deputy Executive Director at the National Security Institute (NSI), Martha Miller oversees NSI’s strategic direction, operational leadership, educational outreach, policy initiatives, and key partnerships with government, academia, and industry. With over two decades of experience in U.S. foreign policy and national security, she has held senior roles at the White House, Capitol Hill, and the State Department, including serving as Special Assistant to President George W. Bush. Her expertise spans congressional outreach, legislative efforts, and international diplomacy. Beginning her career in transatlantic relations at the U.S. Embassy Office in Berlin and the German Bundestag, she also studied at l’Université Paul Valéry-Montpellier III and speaks French and German. A graduate of the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, Martha is dedicated to educating future national security leaders and advancing U.S. global leadership.