Chris DeRusha

Federal CISO and Deputy National Cyber Director, Executive Office of the President

Chris DeRusha says that empathy and transparency have been crucial to the success of federal IT leaders during the last two years of the pandemic. “How we work and how we work together is evolving quickly, and these qualities yield better communication and understanding of what matters most to our workforce,” he told FedScoop. According to the cybersecurity leader, the President’s cybersecurity EO remains a top priority, and his team has “worked tirelessly” to engage federal agencies, the private sector and the public to develop a zero-trust strategy that enacts the vision of the order. He added: “Teams need diversity. By bringing a variety of backgrounds and lived experiences to the table, it makes for a successful team – one that builds off of each other’s perspectives, complements one another’s strengths, and drives the mission forward.”