Modernizing Your SOC

Deputy CISO & Deputy Director, Cybersecurity Office (TS)

Mr. Michael Ryan is the Deputy Chief Information Security Officer (CISO) as well as Deputy Director of the Cybersecurity Office (TS) at the National Geospatial-Intelligence Agency (NGA). TS is responsible for the tactical and strategic implementation of NGA’s cybersecurity program, safeguarding the NGA mission through collaborative, forward-leaning, and risk-balanced solutions to ensure trust in GEOINT services and data. TS conducts defensive cybersecurity operations, assesses, conveys, and guides mitigation of Agency cybersecurity risk in the context of overall NGA mission goals and objectives. Achieving this through 24-by-7 cybersecurity operations, establishing the policies and procedures governing cybersecurity, prioritizing cybersecurity initiatives, integrating cybersecurity solutions and conducting the review, authorization, and continuous monitoring of all NGA information technology services. Mr. Ryan completed an IC Joint Duty Assignment at the National Reconnaissance Office (NRO) as the Deputy Chief Information Security Officer (CISO) and Deputy Director of the NRO Cyber Security Office (CSO) leading a multi-functional civilian, military and contractor cybersecurity workforce responsible for setting strategic direction for cybersecurity, designing and delivering enterprise security services, assessing risk and making authorization decisions for the NRO IT portfolio.

Prior to the NRO, Mr. Ryan was the Deputy Director of the Information Technology Secure Operations Control Office for NGA in Springfield, Virginia. Mr. Ryan previously served as the Director of the Cybersecurity Operations Center at NGA, responsible for 24/7 defensive cybersecurity operations protecting the confidentiality, integrity, and availability of Geospatial-Intelligence data and systems worldwide. His preceding assignments included Division Chief for Cyber and Enterprise Management Operations and the Deputy Director of NGA’s Enterprise Service Center ensuring the optimum performance of NGA information technology services. He began his employment at NGA’s St. Louis, Missouri site in 2004, holding various operational and program management positions providing operations and sustainment oversight of NGA mission production systems.

Before joining NGA, Mr. Ryan spent 8 years as a communications officer in the US Air Force, managing the engineering, testing, and acquisition of advanced cybersecurity capabilities. He led the Air Force’s defensive cybersecurity operations team deploying, monitoring, and protecting US Central Command Air Forces information technology infrastructure in Southwest Asia.

Mr. Ryan is a Certified Information Security Manager (CISM), holds a bachelor’s degree in computer engineering from Rochester Institute of Technology, a master’s degree in engineering management from Southern Methodist University and was a 2019 National Security Fellow with the Harvard Kennedy School Belfer Center.