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
PresidentJoe Biden
SucceedingKemba Walden (acting)
Personal details
EducationUnited 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

  1. "Biden nominates Harry Coker to be national cyber director". Reuters. 2023-07-25. Retrieved 2023-07-25.
  2. "NSA's Former Executive Director Wins EEOD Leadership Award". National Security Agency/Central Security Service. February 13, 2020. Retrieved 2023-07-19.Public Domain This article incorporates text from this source, which is in the public domain.
  3. "Harry Coker". McCrary Institute. Retrieved 2023-07-19.
  4. 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.
  5. 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.
  6. Turton, William; Manson, Katrina (2023-07-17). "Ex-NSA Executive Considered for Nomination as Cyber Director". Bloomberg.com. Retrieved 2023-07-19.
  7. Friedman, Sarah. "Senate Homeland Security schedules October hearing for NCD nominee Coker". Inside Cybersecurity. Retrieved 18 October 2023.
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