Chris Butera is the Acting Deputy Executive Assistant Director for the Cybersecurity Division of the Cybersecurity and Infrastructure Security Agency (CISA). As CISA’s senior career cybersecurity official, he is responsible for leading the agency’s mission to address the nation’s most significant cyber threats and vulnerabilities and to increase the security and resilience of U.S. critical infrastructure. Mr. Butera additionally serves as a board member for both the Technology Modernization Fund and the Federal Risk and Authorization Management Program (FedRAMP).
Mr. Butera brings a wealth of experience to his role with over 20 years in various cybersecurity and Information Technology (IT) leadership positions in federal and local government as well as the private sector. Most recently, he served as the Senior Technical Director for the Cybersecurity Division of CISA. In that role, Mr. Butera led the Office of the Technical Director, which magnifies the impact of CISA’s cyber mission by enhancing cyber services and analysis platforms, strengthening operational visibility, guiding cyber research and development, and leading strategic work in securing Artificial Intelligence and Industrial Control Systems (ICS)/Operational Technology (OT).
Throughout his federal career, Mr. Butera has led much of CISA’s cyber defense operations, including the federal government’s response to the most significant cybersecurity incidents facing the United States between 2014 through 2021. Previous leadership roles at CISA include Associate Director of Threat Hunting, Deputy Director of the National Cybersecurity and Communications Integration Center (NCCIC), and Chief of the NCCIC Hunt and Incident Response Team.
Mr. Butera’s interests lie in emerging technologies, software security, international standards, new techniques for threat detection, and developing hands-on learning opportunities such as CTFs.
Mr. Butera holds a Bachelor of Science degree in computer science from the University of Notre Dame and a Master of Science degree in computer science from the University of Chicago.
