Federal 100: Chris Painter

Chris Painter
Senior Director for Cybersecurity
National Security Staff

For the past two years, Christopher Painter was the mainstay of the National Security Staff’s cyber directorate.

Painter, who came to the White House from the Justice Department’s Crime Section in 2008, led the directorate until the arrival of Howard Schmidt as cybersecurity coordinator. Painter took control of the directorate at a critical time, keeping the administration’s agenda on track despite the chaos endemic to an incoming administration that wants to launch new policies and all the related changes to agency procedures and practices. Painter also spearheaded the declassification of the Comprehensive National Cybersecurity Initiative.

Painter kept a steady hand on the rudder until Schmidt relieved him, giving Schmidt a solid platform on which to build. Earlier this year, Secretary of State Hillary Clinton picked Painter to lead the newly created Office of the Coordinator for Cyber Issues at the State Department.

Read more about the 2011 Federal 100 award winners.