Each quarter, a selection of ICIT Fellows gather to discuss their perspectives on a timely cybersecurity topic pertinent to critical infrastructure resiliency and national security. The full ICIT Fellows’ Insights Roundtable video is featured below. The conversation topic and questions are based on questions solicited from the ICIT community and we hope that the Fellows’ Insights prove informative, actionable, and meaningful. As with all ICIT content, the entirety of the discussion is non-partisan, objective, and vendor-agnostic. All perspectives, opinions, and views expressed are those of the individual speaker, may not be reflective of their organization, and should not be construed as an official position of their organization or ICIT.

Featured Panelists:

In this ICIT Fellows’ Panel discussion, cybersecurity experts reflected on 2021 legislation and agency initiatives and recommended proactive directions for 2022. Based on feedback solicited from ICIT members, the Fellows addressed:

  1. Were there any cybersecurity topics that merit legislative consideration that either were not considered in 2021 or should be considered in 2022?
  2. What legislation / agency initiatives you feel should be prioritized in 2022?
  3. What were some of the obstacles in enacting cybersecurity and modernization reforms in 2021 and how can we mitigate those barriers in the future?
  4. Where should agencies and Congress more actively engage with private sector and academic stakeholders?

Watch the Panel Discussion

Don Maclean
Don MacleanICIT Fellow and Chief Cybersecurity Technologist, DLT
As Chief Cybersecurity Technologist for DLT, Don Maclean formulates and executes cybersecurity portfolio strategy, speaks and writes on security topics, and socializes his company’s cybersecurity portfolio. Don has nearly 30 years’ experience working with U.S. Federal agencies. Before joining DLT in 2015, Don managed security programs for numerous U.S. Federal agencies, including DOJ, DOL, FAA, FBI, and the Treasury Department. This experience allowed him to observe the strengths and limitations of traditional cybersecurity defenses, leading to his interest in innovative technologies such as those featured in this article. In addition to his CISSP, PMP, CEH, and CCSK certificates, Don holds a B.A. in Music from Oberlin, an M.S. in Information Security from Brandeis Rabb School, and is a recipient of the FedScoop 50 award for industry leadership. An avid musician, Don organizes a concert for charity every year, and has been known to compete in chess and Shogi (Japanese chess) tournaments, both in person and online
Don Davidson
Don DavidsonICIT Fellow and Frm. Deputy Director Cybersecurity Risk Management & SCRM, DoD / Director Cyber-SCRM Synopsys
After 44 years in US Department of Defense (DoD), he transitioned to Synopsys in the private sector. He is an Experienced Leader working with military, whole-of-government, and public private partnerships with industry, academia and international partners. He is skilled in STEM, Enterprise Risk Management, and M&S/data-analytics for both governmental and commercial organizations. He is Strong Professional with a Master of Science (MS) degree in National Security Strategy from US National Defense University and a Bachelor of Science in Engineering from United States Military Academy at West Point.
Stan Mierzwa
Stan MierzwaICIT Fellow and Director and Adjunct Professor, Center for Cybersecurity, Kean University & CTO, Vennue Foundation
Stanley J. Mierzwa is the Director of the Center for Cybersecurity at Kean University. He also lectures on topics including Cybersecurity Risk Management, Cyber Policy, Digital Crime and Terrorism, and Foundations in Cybersecurity. Mierzwa received his MS in Management of Information Systems at the New Jersey Institute of Technology and his BS in Electrical Engineering at Fairleigh Dickinson University. He is a Certified Information Systems Security Professional (CISSP), member of the FBI Infragard, and currently pursuing a Ph.D. Information Technology with a specialization in cybersecurity.