Commerce info security officer to lead advisory board

he board advises a nonprofit group on policies, programs that change the information security field.

Michael Castagna, chief information security officer at the Commerce Department, has been appointed as the co-chairman of the U.S. Government Advisory Board for Cyber Security, a nonprofit group announced today.

The cybersecurity board is a 20-member volunteer board of government and industry security executives. The board advises the nonprofit organization that made the announcement, the International Information Systems Security Certification Consortium, on government policies and programs that affect the information security field as well as certifications for government cybersecurity professionals, the group said.

“In addressing the unique needs of the U.S. federal government, our goal will be to ensure that human capital development remains our highest priority,” Castagna said in a statement.


Lynn McNulty, a certified information systems security professional (CISSP) and director of government affairs for the consortium, is the other co-chair. Castagna replaces Jane Scott Norris, a CISSP and former dean of the School of Applied Information Technology at the Foreign Services Institute.

Additional new board members include:

• Paul Grabow, CISSP at the Senate Sergeant at Arms Office.

• Jerry Davis, CISSP and deputy chief information officer for CIO at NASA.

• Michael Ashworth, CISSP and director of information security at the Interior Department’s Office of Inspector General.

• Mary Heard, CISSP and acting associate CIO for cybersecurity at the Agriculture Department.