Cait Conley, an Army combat veteran with a strong background in cybersecurity and counterterrorism, has been appointed as one of the top election security officials in the United States.
As the new coordinator, she will collaborate with federal, state, and local officials to ensure the security of upcoming elections, particularly the 2024 presidential election.
CISA Director Jen Easterly emphasized Conley’s extensive national security experience, stating that she is well-suited to support state and local officials across America in carrying out secure elections.
Conley is taking over from Kim Wyman, a former top election official in Washington state, who will be leaving the agency to join the private sector. Wyman joined CISA following the 2020 election, during which the agency faced criticism from former President Donald Trump for challenging false claims about the vote.
Kim Wyman replaced Matt Masterson, who served as the election security lead under then-CISA Director Chris Krebs. Masterson and Krebs were instrumental in establishing and strengthening the agency, earning the trust of initially skeptical state and local officials.
As the nation prepares for the 2024 election, election officials are confronted with multifaceted threats that encompass protecting voting systems and combating the spread of misinformation, which has eroded public confidence in the electoral process.
Hostile foreign nations, ransomware gangs, and other actors seeking to interfere in U.S. elections pose significant challenges. Both Cait Conley and Jen Easterly possess extensive military backgrounds, having graduated from the U.S. Military Academy at West Point and served in the Army.
Conley previously held positions as a director for counterterrorism on the National Security Council and as the executive director of the bipartisan Defending Digital Democracy Project at Harvard University’s Belfer Center, where she led a team in developing strategies to safeguard elections.
Conley expressed her enthusiasm for returning to the election security mission and building upon the remarkable progress made by CISA in recent years.
With her expertise and the collective experience of Easterly and other officials, the aim is to enhance election protection measures and reinforce the integrity of the democratic process in the face of evolving threats and challenges.
