Mike Nicholson, a highly respected cybersecurity and emergency management leader with over 30 years of federal service, has passed away. Nicholson was widely known for his deep commitment to public service, particularly through his work with the U.S. Department of Homeland Security (DHS), the U.S. Patent and Trademark Office, the Cybersecurity and Infrastructure Security Agency (CISA), and most recently as Government Chair of ATARC’s Cybersecurity Mission Area
The news was shared by Bill Suder, Vice President at ATARC (Advanced Technology Academic Research Center), who described Nicholson as a “cherished member of our community” whose contributions left an “indelible mark” across both government and industry.
Nicholson’s career spanned leadership roles across federal cybersecurity and emergency response efforts. While at DHS, he was instrumental in creating the National Exercise Simulation Network (SIMNet)—a forward-thinking initiative that brought together military, local, and private sector partners to develop live, virtual, and constructive simulations for interagency emergency coordination.
At CISA, Nicholson served as Senior Advisor, where he helped develop a common operating picture for Federal, State, Local, Tribal, and Territorial (FSLTT) incident response. His leadership ensured that key cybersecurity coordination and situational awareness functions met both presidential and departmental mandates.
He also served as Government Chair of ATARC’s Cybersecurity Mission Area, where he provided guidance across working groups tackling issues such as zero trust architecture, insider risk, and state and local cyber grant programs. His legacy includes expanding cross-sector collaboration through initiatives like the Security Leaders Roundtables and the advancement of cyber range and exercise capabilities.
Before his time at DHS and CISA, Nicholson held leadership positions with the U.S. Patent and Trademark Office, the U.S. Navy, and in the defense contracting world, including roles at Grumman, SAIC, and as President of several systems engineering firms.
Described by colleagues as a “beloved, energetic contributor,” Nicholson remained active in the cybersecurity community until his recent retirement. As Tom Suder of ATARC noted, Nicholson continued to contribute with tremendous energy, even after more than 60 years of on-and-off government and military service.
His influence stretched across generations of cybersecurity and emergency management professionals. Nicholson’s vision, mentorship, and service-oriented leadership leave a lasting legacy in the homeland security community. He will be deeply missed.
(AI was used in part to facilitate this article.)
