Harry Coker
Harry Coker is an American lawyer and national security expert. In July 2023, he was nominated by President Joe Biden as National Cyber Director.[1] Coker served as the executive director of the National Security Agency from 2017 to 2019.
Harry Coker | |
---|---|
United States National Cyber Director | |
Nominee | |
Assuming office TBD | |
President | Joe Biden |
Succeeding | Kemba Walden (acting) |
Personal details | |
Education | United States Naval Academy (BS) Georgetown University (JD) Naval Postgraduate School (MS) |
Since 2019, Coker has worked as a senior fellow at the Auburn University McCrary Institute for Cyber and Critical Infrastructure Security. A graduate of the Naval Postgraduate School, Coker was a naval officer for twenty years before joining the Central Intelligence Agency in 2000.[2]
Education and Navy career
Coker graduated from the United States Naval Academy.[2] He earned a J.D. from Georgetown University Law Center and attended the Naval Postgraduate School.[2]
Coker served as a surface warfare officer for his first six years in the United States Navy and was an engineering duty officer until he retired as a Commander in 2000.[2]
Professional career
After leaving the Navy, Coker joined the at the Central Intelligence Agency (CIA).[2] For seventeen years, he worked in the CIA Directorate for Digital Innovation, the Directorate of Science and Technology, and the Director's area.[3] Coker was the director of the open source enterprise and served as the deputy director of the CIA office of public affairs.[3] Coker served on the executives diversity and inclusion council (EDIC).[2]
From 2017 to 2019, Coker was the executive director at the National Security Agency.[4] In 2019, Coker became a senior fellow at the Auburn University McCrary Institute for Cyber and Critical Infrastructure Security.[4] In 2020, Coker was a member national security staff during the presidential transition of Joe Biden.[5]
On July 17, 2023, it was reported that Coker was being considered as a potential nominee for National Cyber Director.[6] He was formally nominated to the position on July 25, 2023.[1] If confirmed, he would succeed Kemba Walden, the acting National Cyber Director. The Senate Homeland Security Committee is scheduled to hold a nomination hearing for Coker on October 24, 2023.[7]
References
- "Biden nominates Harry Coker to be national cyber director". Reuters. 2023-07-25. Retrieved 2023-07-25.
- "NSA's Former Executive Director Wins EEOD Leadership Award". National Security Agency/Central Security Service. February 13, 2020. Retrieved 2023-07-19. This article incorporates text from this source, which is in the public domain.
- "Harry Coker". McCrary Institute. Retrieved 2023-07-19.
- Starks, Tim (July 17, 2023). "What to make of the acting national cyber director not getting the full-time job". Washington Post. Retrieved 2023-07-18.
- Geller, Eric (2023-07-17). "White House Plans to Nominate Retired Navy Officer Harry Coker as US Cyber Chief". The Messenger. Retrieved 2023-07-19.
- Turton, William; Manson, Katrina (2023-07-17). "Ex-NSA Executive Considered for Nomination as Cyber Director". Bloomberg.com. Retrieved 2023-07-19.
- Friedman, Sarah. "Senate Homeland Security schedules October hearing for NCD nominee Coker". Inside Cybersecurity. Retrieved 18 October 2023.