Caitlin Clarke

Senior Director for Cybersecurity Services

Caitlin Clarke is a seasoned policymaker with White House, private sector, and management experience. Caitlin works at the nexus of cybersecurity, emergency management, financial services, emerging technology, and foreign policy. She is an innovative and effective cultivator of diverse government, international, and private sector stakeholder partnerships that achieve policy outcomes. She skillfully helps clients understand and manage cybersecurity risks within their organizations, with her forward-thinking and resilient approach to the space.

Caitlin brings a wealth of tactical incident response experience, in addition to her deep understanding of the digital economy. She joins Venable from the National Security Council, where she led the development of defense-related cybersecurity policy. In this role, she oversaw U.S. federal interagency coordination and international partnerships related to emerging technologies that enhance U.S. policies and mitigate cyber attacks. Acclaimed for her process development and implementation of policies, Caitlin helped her team protect U.S. national and economic security from cyber threats.

As chair of the Cyber Response Group, Caitlin also led the federal response to significant cyber incidents on federal networks, critical infrastructure, and foreign partner networks. Her previous government service includes more than 10 years in various roles with the Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA), in which she led national preparedness policy.

In addition to her vast government experience at the helm of cybersecurity, Caitlin has spent considerable time navigating the private sector. Prior to joining the White House team, she took on various leadership roles at one of the largest global bank holding and financial services corporations. There, Caitlin focused her work on cyber threat intelligence and cyber readiness. She was also tasked with balancing and bolstering the corporation’s industry relations, specifically with a leading not-for-profit coalition and several key players in the financial services space. Caitlin skillfully managed the corporation’s regulatory engagements related to technology risk and information security, even serving as the global banking incident response lead for cyber crisis events.

This unique blend of commercial and civic industry experience sets her apart within the cybersecurity field.

Experience

Government Experience

  • Special assistant to the president and senior director for cyber and emerging technology, National Security Council, Executive Office of the President, 2022 – 2023
  • Assistant national cyber director for planning and operations, Office of the National Cyber Director, Executive Office of the President, 2022 – 2023
  • Supervisory emergency management specialist (response), U.S. Department of Homeland Security (DHS), Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA), Office of Response and Recovery, Planning and Exercise Division, 2017 – July 2018
  • Supervisory program specialist, U.S. Department of Homeland Security (DHS), Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA), Protection and National Preparedness (PNP), 2015 – 2017

Insights

Credentials
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Education

  • M.P.P. Public Policy George Mason University 2005
    • Concentration in National Security and Public Policy
  • B.A. Political Science summa cum laude Providence College 2002

Recognition
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  • FEMA Administrator, Award for Exemplary Emergency Manager, 2015, 2016
  • FEMA Administrator, Award for Innovation, 2012