April 28, 2026
Communications and Media
National Security Institute
Arlington, VA — The National Security Institute (NSI) at George Mason University’s Antonin Scalia Law School extends its heartfelt condolences to the family of Stewart A. Baker, a dedicated and valued NSI Advisory Board member and a highly consequential leader in national security and technology law.
Over a distinguished career spanning decades, Stewart was a leading innovator at the intersection of law, technology, and national security. His work left a critically important mark on how the United States approaches the complex challenges of the digital age. Early in his career, Stewart served as General Counsel of the National Security Agency. He later served as the first Assistant Secretary for Policy at the then-newly established Department of Homeland Security (DHS).
Stewart’s impact on national security law and its implementation was far reaching, and he played a leading role in shaping pivotal national security legislation in the areas of electronic surveillance, cybersecurity, homeland security, and CFIUS modernization. In the private sector, his legal advocacy and scholarship was memorable, including contributing to a number of cases before the U.S. Supreme Court. Stewart’s 2010 memoir, Skating on Stilts, tells key stories of his time in government, including in the early days of the Department of Homeland Security and makes a compelling case for rethinking America’s approaches technology and national security.
As a long-serving member of NSI’s Advisory Board, Stewart always motivated the NSI team with his deep commitment to public service and impressed all of us with his ability to bridge the gap between complex legal theory and the practical realities of national security in a rapidly evolving technological landscape. His infectious enthusiasm and deep wisdom also left an indelible mark on the NSI community. He will be greatly missed.
To read more about Stewart’s impactful legacy, visit here: https://www.adamsgreen.com/obituaries/Stewart-Abercrombie-Baker?obId=48288251
About the National Security Institute:
The National Security Institute at George Mason University’s Antonin Scalia Law School serves as a platform for research, teaching, scholarship, and policy development. NSI incorporates a realistic assessment of the threats facing the United States and its allies, as well as an appreciation of the legal and practical challenges facing our intelligence, law enforcement, national security, technology, innovation, and cybersecurity communities.
About the NSI Cyber & Tech Center:
The NSI Cyber and Technology Center (CTC) advances American technology leadership and engages policymakers on issues at the intersection of technology and national security. Its mission is to promote American technology leadership through expert dialogue, policymaker engagement, and cutting-edge research. NSI CTC is part of the National Security Institute (NSI), which serves as a platform for research, teaching, scholarship, and policy development.
About the Antonin Scalia Law School:
The Antonin Scalia Law School was founded in 1972 as the International School of Law in Washington, DC. In 1979 it merged with George Mason Law School and was named after the late Supreme Court Justice Antonin Scalia in 2016. The school is located in Arlington, VA, and is ranked #32 (tied) nationally by US News and #3 among all law schools in DC metro area. The school offers JD, LLM, and JM degrees and is home to five nationally acclaimed centers, including the Law & Economics Center, and is the home to additional key national security and technology organizations, including NSI, the NSI Cyber & Tech Center, and the first-in-the-nation Cyber, Intelligence, and National Security (CINS) LLM program.
About George Mason University:
George Mason University is Virginia’s largest public research university. Located near Washington, D.C., George Mason enrolls more than 40,000 students from 130 countries and all 50 states. George Mason has grown rapidly over the past half-century and is recognized for its innovation and entrepreneurship, remarkable diversity, and commitment to accessibility. In 2023, the university launched Mason Now: Power the Possible, a one-billion-dollar comprehensive campaign to support student success, research, innovation, community, and stewardship.