Jen Easterly joins Huntress as adviser amid USD $1.5bn expansion
Huntress has confirmed that Jen Easterly, the former Director of the US Cybersecurity and Infrastructure Security Agency (CISA), is joining its Strategic Advisory Board in her first role in the private sector following her departure from government service.
Easterly's appointment comes as Huntress continues its expansion with a newly established valuation of USD $1.5 billion and an accelerated focus on integrating artificial intelligence into its cybersecurity offerings. The company's current trajectory involves developing advanced capabilities in threat intelligence and security operations centre (SOC) processes, especially targeting support for organisations with limited resources.
Leadership background
Easterly's professional history includes senior positions in organisations such as Morgan Stanley, the US Army, the White House, and the National Security Agency. Her tenure at CISA was marked by high-profile initiatives which sought to strengthen collaboration across both public and private sectors and to develop industry-driven standards around cyber resilience.
During her leadership at CISA, she was instrumental in launching the Secure by Design programme, which encouraged technology vendors to prioritise security from the outset of development, and the Joint Cyber Defence Collaborative, aimed at improving cooperation and intelligence sharing on cyber defence.
Role at Huntress
Huntress CEO Kyle Hanslovan highlighted the significance of Easterly's joining at what he described as a critical period for the company's development. Hanslovan commented,
"It's an honor to welcome Jen to our Strategic Advisory Board. She's arguably the single most transformative US government cybersecurity leader of our time, and her work at CISA set the gold standard for making critical resources accessible to the masses, not just the big players. She's joining Huntress at a time of hyper-growth, hot off the heels of a major collaboration with Microsoft and a bold expansion of our cybersecurity platform, and I'm hyped up over the passion she brings to our mission. Expect to see us leveraging her expertise to experiment with exciting new ways to harness our threat intelligence, augment our SOC experts with AI, and strengthen our partnerships throughout the industry."
As a Strategic Advisory Board member, Easterly is set to focus on key challenges affecting organisations' security, including workforce shortages and the evolution of cyber threats. She will advise Huntress on approaches for converting threat data into actionable insights for its client base and the wider industry, and will participate in initiatives to foster stronger industry partnerships, particularly benefitting underrepresented groups within cybersecurity.
Perspective from Jen Easterly
Reflecting on her decision to move into this role, Easterly stated,
"I've worked with countless organisations over the years, but Huntress stood out for its exceptional leadership, technical prowess, and unwavering commitment to a mission that truly matters. The challenges we face today are stark. Cybercrime is outpacing the growth of most U.S. businesses, state-sponsored actors are relentlessly targeting critical infrastructure, and threat actors are continually evolving their tactics. Keeping pace with these threats will require dedicated efforts to build strong community partnerships and elevate collective knowledge. That's why I'm excited to join Huntress to disrupt threat actors in bold, innovative ways and make a real, measurable impact on our community."
Easterly's move into the private sector follows heightened attention in the media after a rescinded offer involving her alma mater, West Point, bringing her next steps under particular scrutiny from industry observers.