
Suzanne Spaulding is senior adviser for homeland security and director of the Defending Democratic Institutions project at the Center for Strategic and International Studies (CSIS). She also serves as a member of the Cyberspace Solarium Commission. Previously, she served as undersecretary for the Department of Homeland Security (DHS), where she led the National Protection and Programs Directorate, now called the Cybersecurity and Infrastructure Security Agency (CISA), managing a $3 billion budget and a workforce of 18,000 that is charged with strengthening cybersecurity and protecting the nation’s critical infrastructure, including election infrastructure. Ms. Spaulding has worked in the executive branch in Republican and Democratic administrations and on both sides of the aisle in Congress. She was general counsel for the Senate Select Committee on Intelligence and minority staff director for the House of Representatives Permanent Select Committee on Intelligence. She also spent six years at the Central Intelligence Agency, where she was assistant general counsel and the legal adviser to the director’s Nonproliferation Center. She was executive director of two congressionally created commissions, on weapons of mass destruction and on terrorism. Following the attacks of 9/11, Ms. Spaulding worked with key critical infrastructure sectors as they reviewed their security posture and advised the CEOs of the Business Roundtable. In 2002, she was appointed by Governor Mark Warner of Virginia to the Secure Commonwealth Panel to advise the governor and the legislature regarding preparedness issues. She was managing partner of the Harbour Group, a principal in the Bingham Consulting Group, and of counsel to Bingham McCutchen LLP. In addition to her work at CSIS, Ms. Spaulding currently serves on a number of corporate boards and advisory boards and is a member of the Homeland Security Experts Group (HSEG).
Media Queries
- H. Andrew Schwartz
- Chief Communications Officer
- 202.775.3242
- aschwartz@csis.org
- Paige Montfort
- Media Relations Manager, External Relations
- 202.775.3173
- pmontfort@csis.org
In the News
The President Must Move Swiftly to Nominate New National Cyber Director
Suzanne Spaulding in The Cipher Brief — May 17, 2023
Biden’s democracy summit 2.0: Ukraine war spurs globalized format
Suzanne Spaulding and Marti Flacks in The Christian Science Monitor — March 29, 2023
The Biden administration has a new cybersecurity strategy. Now comes the hard part.
Suzanne Spaulding in The Washington Post — March 3, 2023
Cyber Report Suzanne Spaulding on Securing Elections
Suzanne Spaulding in Defense and Aerospace Report — November 9, 2022
DHS policy leader Silvers says next Cyber Safety Review Board effort is in the works
Suzanne Spaulding in Inside Cyber Security — October 31, 2022
U.S. officials eye a complex web of election cybersecurity threats
Suzanne Spaulding in Axios — October 25, 2022
Our survey experts: It's okay to expose the government
Suzanne Spaulding in The Washington Post — September 20, 2022
White House cyber hire highlights diversity challenges in tech workforce
Suzanne Spaulding in Yahoo News — August 1, 2022
All content by Suzanne Spaulding
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U.S. Diplomacy and Section 702: A Conversation with Assistant Secretary of State Brett Holmgren
Event by Brett M. Holmgren , Glenn S. Gerstell , and Suzanne Spaulding — May 30, 2023
We Hold These Truths: How Verified Content Defends Democracies
Event by Emily Harding , Suzanne Spaulding , Ambassador Beth Van Schaack , Dana Rao , Jessica Brandt , Dr. Matthew Turek , Andrew Jenks , Andy Parsons , and Mounir Ibrahim — March 27, 2023
Innovation for Resilience
Event by Caitlin Durkovich , and Stephanie LaRue , Benjamin DeAngelo , Robert Costello , John Costello , Alice Hill , Suzanne Spaulding , Emily Harding , Hadeil Ali , Joseph Majkut , James Andrew Lewis , Bob Kolasky — March 23, 2023
Innovation for Resilience
Report by Suzanne Spaulding , Emily Harding , Hadeil Ali , Joseph Majkut , Harshana Ghoorhoo , Morgan Higman , Devi Nair , Naz Subah , and Sophia Barkoff — March 23, 2023
Press Briefing: Previewing the 2023 Summit for Democracy
Event by Marti Flacks , Suzanne Spaulding , and Christopher Hernandez-Roy — March 22, 2023
A Conversation with HON Christine E. Wormuth, 25th U.S. Secretary of the Army
Podcast Episode by Kathleen McInnis and Suzanne Spaulding — March 2, 2023

Military Deterrence in an Era of Strategic Competition: A Conversation with HON Christine E. Wormuth, 25th U.S. Secretary of the Army
Event by Suzanne Spaulding and The Honorable Christine E. Wormuth — March 1, 2023
Investing in Federal Cyber Resilience
Commentary by Suzanne Spaulding , Devi Nair , and Sophia Barkoff — February 24, 2023
The Convergence of National Security and Homeland Security: A Conversation with Secretary of Homeland Security Alejandro N. Mayorkas
Event by Suzanne Spaulding , Alejandro N. Mayorkas , and Vivian Salama — December 5, 2022
Disinformation and the Midterm Election
Podcast Episode by H. Andrew Schwartz and Suzanne Spaulding — November 3, 2022
