A Monday letter undersigned by over 100 cybersecurity professionals asks the Senate to confirm Defense Department Chief Information Officer nominee Kirsten Davies to her post as swiftly as possible.
The letter, obtained by Nextgov/FCW, is addressed to Sens. Roger Wicker, R-Miss., and Jack Reed, D-R.I., the top lawmakers on the Senate Armed Services Committee, and says Davies is “a leader we know personally and professionally.”
“Many of us have collaborated with her, witnessed her steady hand in high-stakes situations, and observed her ability to lead with both conviction and humility. She has built a reputation as a world-class cybersecurity executive who can earn trust, build teams, and navigate complexity,” it reads.
President Donald Trump nominated Davies in May. On Thursday, she is expected to testify before the armed services panel alongside other nominees. DefenseScoop first reported the contents of the recommendation letter.
Davies has held IT and cybersecurity roles at major firms, including Unilever, the Estée Lauder Companies and Booz Allen Hamilton. She is also the co-founder and CEO of the Institute for Cyber, a digital safety nonprofit. In addition, she has been a member of the National Security Institute’s Cyber and Tech Security Council at George Mason University’s Antonin Scalia Law School.
In the interim, Katie Arrington, the DOD’s chief information security officer, is performing the duties of Pentagon CIO.
