Lauryn Williams

Deputy Director and Senior Fellow, Strategic Technologies Program
Lauryn Williams

Lauryn Williams is the deputy director and senior fellow in the Strategic Technologies Program at the Center for Strategic and International Studies. Until January 2025, she was chief of staff to the assistant secretary of defense for industrial base policy within the Office of the Under Secretary of Defense for Acquisition and Sustainment, where she spearheaded the release of the National Defense Industrial Strategy Implementation Plan. From 2022 to 2024, Lauryn was director for strategy in the White House Office of the National Cyber Director and led the strategic initiative on space system cybersecurity, which leveraged extensive government agency, industry, and international collaboration. This work resulted in the first-ever minimum cybersecurity requirements for federal space systems. Prior to the White House, Lauryn served as a policy advisor in the Pentagon space policy office and led efforts to leverage commercial space and develop norms of responsible behavior. She has also served in the Department of Energy’s National Nuclear Security Administration, where she led international export control projects, and worked at the Carnegie Endowment for International Peace. Lauryn received her master’s degree in public and international affairs from Princeton University and her bachelor’s degree in political science, with honors in international security studies, from Stanford University.

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Cache Me If You Can

Making AI Work for Cyber Defenders

Carol Kuntz joins Lauryn Williams to explore how advances in AI are reshaping the balance between cyber attackers and defenders.

Podcast Episode by Lauryn Williams and Carol Kuntz — August 19, 2026

Photo: CSIS

Mapping Iranian Cyberattacks on U.S. Water Systems

Recent Iranian cyberattacks on U.S. water systems were months in the making. These charts combine press reporting and CSIS expert analysis to provide a clearer picture of the attacks and their impact on the U.S. water sector.

Commentary by CSIS Scholars — August 18, 2026

State of Play

Did Iran Attack U.S. Water Systems?

Nikita Shah, Caitlin Welsh, and Lauryn Williams join Will Todman to discuss why U.S. critical infrastructure is vulnerable, what can be done to respond, and if there is enough evidence to blame Iran.

Podcast Episode by Will Todman, Nikita Shah, Caitlin Welsh, and Lauryn Williams — August 17, 2026

Photo: iLab/CSIS
Cache Me If You Can

The Cyber Threat to U.S. Water Infrastructure

Lauryn Williams, Nikita Shah, and Caitlin Welsh join Will Todman on the State of Play podcast to discuss why U.S. critical infrastructure remains vulnerable, how to respond, and whether there is enough evidence to attribute the attacks to Iran.

Podcast Episode by Lauryn Williams, Will Todman, Caitlin Welsh, and Nikita Shah — August 17, 2026

Photo: CSIS

The Future of AI-Driven Cyber Defense

A discussion on the growing role of artificial intelligence in cyber defense and what it means for the future of national security, critical infrastructure protection, and digital resilience.

Event — July 15, 2026