Post Quantum Cryptography in the Federal Government (E266)

Senior Cybersecurity Advisor

Ms. Rosa Underwood is the Senior Cybersecurity Advisor within Information Technology Category (ITC), Federal Acquisition Service (FAS), supporting the transition to a more modernized and resilient infrastructure. She also contributes to GSA initiatives for the adoption and integration of cybersecurity into the acquisitions process to help strengthen the resiliency of the supply chain, government-wide.

Rosa has an extensive background in IT and telecommunications with many years of profound experience from various roles in the private sector. Before joining GSA, she was a contractor supporting the implementation of the Continuous Diagnostics and Mitigation (CDM) program at the Dept. of Commerce. In her role as a Senior Systems Engineer at Juniper Networks, Rosa focused on idealistic solutions for compliance with Federal and international standards for hardware and software, including cryptographic module validation programs, across routing, security, and switching platforms. Much of Rosa’s expertise comes from her tenure at Verizon Communications where she spent over 10 years of her career in Verizon Labs as a Subject Matter Expert (SME). Using her technical knowledge, Rosa crafted innovative solutions that led to 22 patents granted by the US Patent and Trademark Office. The depth of her experience includes roles in governance, risk, and compliance (GRC); project management; network operations; customer service; hardware and software testing; and systems integration.

Rosa’s professional experience is complemented by degrees in Internetworking Technology, Telecommunications Engineering, and Optoelectronics Engineering. She holds several professional certifications in cybersecurity, project management, and cloud technology. Rosa is a recipient of the 2024 Federal 100 Awards, presented to government, industry, and academic leaders who have played pivotal roles in fostering IT modernization and innovation, government-wide. She was named a winner of MeriTalk’s 2023 Cyber Defenders Awards which recognizes individuals in government and industry who drive innovation, advance the nation’s cybersecurity, and who have made significant contributions across cyber programs in Federal IT.