Brandon Wales to Step Down as CISA’s Executive Director

The Cybersecurity and Infrastructure Security Agency’s executive director is set to depart the agency in August after more than three years in the said role.

Brandon Wales, a past Potomac Officers Club speaker, was appointed to the post after holding various leadership roles at the Department of Homeland Security, which he joined in 2005.

Wales previously served as the director of the Homeland Infrastructure Threat and Risk Analysis Center. He also became a senior counselor to the DHS secretary for cyber and resilience and an acting chief of staff, Federal News Network reported.

As CISA’s executive director, he played a significant role in guiding the agency through some serious threats to the United States, including the ransomware attack on Colonial Pipeline and Russia’s invasion of Ukraine, according to CISA Director Jen Easterly, a 2024 Wash100 awardee.

Bridget Bean, CISA’s assistant director of integrated operations, was selected to replace Wales.

Easterly said Bean has more than three decades of experience in federal government service, preparing her to step into the critical role involving “a dedicated focus on operationalizing a fully unified and cohesive team.”