Samuel S. Visner

Education:

• B.A., International Politics, Georgetown University
• M.S., Telecommunications, Washington University

Background:

Samuel Sanders Visner is a Tech Fellow and former Director of the National Cybersecurity Federally Funded Research and Development Center (MITRE), sponsored by the National Institute of Science and Technology (appointed October 2017). Fellows are the ultimate technical leaders at MITRE, providing technical leadership in guiding corporate initiatives and research and development activities. Their role includes contributing directly to MITRE’s most significant technical challenges and advancing the frontiers of science and engineering, as well as demonstrating, through their own work and their collaborations with others, a continuing and substantial record of technical achievement. An appointment to Fellow represents the pinnacle of the MITRE technical career path.

Visner was appointed in 2020 as a member of the Board of Directors of Oak Ridge Associated Universities and appointed in 2022 as the Vice Chair of the Board of Directors of the Space Information Sharing and Analysis Center. Sam also serves as member of the Cyber Council of the Intelligence and National Security Alliance, and the Cyber Committee of the Armed Forces Communications and Electronics Association. Visner is an adjunct professor of Science and Technology in International Affairs at Georgetown University, where he teaches a course on cybersecurity policy, operations, and technology.

Visner is a member of the Council on Foreign Relations, the Atlantic Council, and the Cosmos Club. He is also a member of the Intelligence Community Studies Board, sponsored by the National Academy of Science and serving the Office of the Director of National Intelligence. Visner is also a former member of the Army Science Board. Visner served previously as Senior Vice President at ICF (General Manager, Cybersecurity and Resilience), Vice President at CSC (General Manager, CSC Global Cybersecurity), Senior Vice President at SAIC, and as Chief of Signals Intelligence Programs at the National Security Agency, from which he received the Agency's highest award for civilian service. Visner also served as a member of the Board of Directors, CVG/Avtec (2008-2010). Visner served twice on the Intelligence, Surveillance, and Reconnaissance Task Force of the Defense Science Board, and has published articles on national and cybersecurity in World Politics Review, the Georgetown Journal of International Affairs, and the Defense Intelligence Journal.

Fields of Specialization: National Security and Cybersecurity, Space Systems Security and Resilience, Intelligence, Cyber Education