Hosted by Former Senator Bob Kerrey
In Partnership with The Richard Lounsbery Foundation
presented by
AFTER ACTION REPORT
In October 2011, The New School, in conjunction with the Richard Lounsbery Foundation, convened Cyber Security Policy Round Table to examine the fundamental challenges facing the nation’s cybersecurity infrastructure and discuss potential solutions that could serve as a foundation for a holistic cyber policy doctrine. The New School gathered a diverse set of the Round Table participants drawn from the key stakeholders in this debate, and asked them to help to develop a consensus regarding the next steps needed to bolster the country’s cyber defenses and that would address the needs of all relevant parties. The Round Table was chaired by former Senator and The New School President Emeritus J. Robert Kerrey, who drew upon his previous experiences as former Member of the Senate Select Committee on Intelligence and the 9/11 Commission to provide valuable insight and attention to this discussion. The members of the Round Table included persons drawn from the areas of government (including federal agency employees, congressional staff, and the Ranking Member of the House Permanent Select Committee on Intelligence), private sector (including a director from a government defense contractor, and the CEO of a small-business), and academia (including the president emeritus of a nationally-recognized university). Round table members were asked to participate both as knowledgeable individuals and as representatives of their organizations, and to maintain confidentiality of their deliberations to promote open and candid discourse. The Round Table chose to be bound by the Chatham House Rule to maintain the confidentiality of all conversations, so that participants could converse frankly without fear of their words resurfacing at a later date. The members of the Round Table are privileged to have had this opportunity to discuss this timely topic and to lend their personal and professional insights. All can agree that there is much work to be accomplished in this subject, and that teamwork and collaboration will be quintessential to achieving success in the coming years. This report assesses and makes recommendations in identifying the necessary steps that must be followed to secure the nation’s cyber infrastructure.
ABOUT THE HOST
Joseph Robert “Bob” Kerrey is the President Emeritus of The New School in New York, New York. He has served in this role since 2010, after having served as President for almost 10 years and having led numerous successful transformations at the institution. Mr. Kerrey has remained active in public policy and was a member of the 9-11 Commission. Prior to this position, Mr. Kerrey served as a United States Senator from Nebraska from 1989 to 2001. Prior to his appointment, Senator Kerrey won the 1982 election for the Governor of Nebraska. Senator Kerrey served in the United States Navy as a SEAL during the Vietnam War and was the first Navy SEAL to win the prestigious Medal of Honor. Senator Kerrey is a graduate of the University of Nebraska-Lincoln (Lincoln, NE).