Brings over two decades of government and private-sector cybersecurity experience to group providing cybersecurity consulting services
Washington, DC – March 15, 2016 – Today, Venable announced the addition of leading cybersecurity professional John Banghart as Senior Director for Technology Risk Management to the firm's growing cybersecurity consulting practice. Mr. Banghart has over two decades of private-sector and federal government experience in cybersecurity, including risk management, government policy, standards and regulatory compliance, and incident management.
Mr. Banghart most recently worked as the Senior Director for Trusted Engineering for Microsoft. In this position, he coordinated multiple teams to develop, implement, and oversee strategy for government adoption of Microsoft's Azure cloud services. Part of the implementation involved meeting strict federal and Defense Department compliance requirements. Early in his career, Mr. Banghart was a technology leader at several private-sector companies, including Booz Allen Hamilton and the Center for Internet Security.
From 2013 to 2015, Mr. Banghart played a key role in developing the Obama Administration's cybersecurity and technology policy as the National Security Council's Director for Federal Cybersecurity. In this role, he led policy, technical, and process efforts to reduce cybersecurity risk and improve metrics and measurement for all civilian, military, and intelligence community agencies. He served as a primary advisor on cybersecurity incidents and preparedness and led the National Security Council's efforts to address significant cybersecurity incidents, including those at OPM and the White House, among others. Mr. Banghart also worked as a Senior Cybersecurity Advisor for the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services. At the Administration's request, he undertook a temporary assignment to provide leadership to the cybersecurity preparations for the Healthcare.gov website two months prior to start of the open enrollment period. He also spent several years at the National Institute of Standards and Technology (NIST), both as a cybersecurity researcher and in the Office of the Undersecretary of Commerce for Standards and Technology.
At Venable, Mr. Banghart will work with a Venable team, including litigators, former regulators, and legislative advisors, to provide companies with a holistic approach to addressing cybersecurity issues. He joins Venable's Managing Director of Cybersecurity Services Ari Schwartz, who played a major role in formulating the Obama Administration's cybersecurity and technology policy, as a member of the original and deepest privacy practice in the United States. Along with Mr. Schwartz, he will provide cybersecurity consulting services for the firm, assisting organizations with understanding and development of risk management strategies, including implementation of the White House's Cybersecurity Framework and other planning tools to help minimize risk.
"Working with John at both the White House and NIST, I know first-hand the skills and knowledge he can offer on cybersecurity issues. Whether it's regulatory or prioritizing liability, companies today face an increasingly complex and rapidly changing environment when it comes to their cybersecurity needs. John's insights and experience will be invaluable to our clients as they work to protect their assets and minimize their risks," said Mr. Schwartz.
"Companies today need someone who can quickly and effectively translate their cybersecurity issues into senior-level briefings that inform them of risk-based decision making," said Mr. Banghart. "Venable offers a deep bench of professionals from the government, legal, and private sectors who understand the competing aspects of cybersecurity. There isn't a one-size-fits-all way to tackle this issue, which is why I’m looking forward to joining a team with the ability to approach it from multiple angles."
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Venable LLP is an American Lawyer 100 law firm headquartered in Washington, DC, with offices in California, Delaware, Maryland, New York, and Virginia. Our lawyers and legislative advisors serve the needs of domestic and international clients in all areas of corporate and business law, complex litigation, intellectual property, regulatory matters, and government affairs.