Matthew Travis Selected to Lead CMMC Accreditation Body

Matthew Travis, a seasoned homeland security executive, has been named the first chief executive officer of the Cybersecurity Maturity Model Certification Accreditation Body.

As CEO, he will be tasked to lead the day-to-day operations of CMMC-AB, advancing the organization’s mission to operationalize CMMC assessments and training across the defense industrial base.

Travis joins the accreditation body armed with prior experience serving as deputy director of the Cybersecurity and Infrastructure Security Agency, FedScoop reported.

While at CISA, he helped supervise the agency’s cybersecurity, infrastructure security and emergency communications divisions, as well as the National Risk Management Center.

According to his profile on the CISA website, he also has experience working in the private sector.

In 2010, he co-founded homeland security consultancy Obsidian Analysis. He later worked as vice president of homeland security for Cadmus following its acquisition of Obsidian Analysis.

In both companies, Travis was tasked with overseeing national preparedness exercises in support of the Federal Emergency Management Agency and the National Exercise Program.

Travis also served as president of Deltica and a vice president at DFI International, where he helped establish a homeland security practice that supported CISA’s Office for Bombing Prevention.

In addition, he spent seven years serving in the Navy. Between 1991 and 1998, he was an engineering auxiliaries officer and a maritime interdiction boarding officer for the guided-missile frigate USS Carr.

In a statement, CMMC-AB Board Chair Karlton Johnson touted Travis’ organizational development skills and in-depth understanding of security and the federal government. Karlton believes that these qualities will enable the organization to quickly ramp up its operations.

For his part, Travis looks forward to tapping into his past experience as he leads the accreditation body.

“There is no more important cyber mission right now than building a trusted, verified, and resilient cybersecurity ecosystem within the Defense Industrial Base,” he said.