Communications of the ACM
Top Cybersecurity Aide at White House Resigns
Melissa E. Hathaway had been a top choice for the Obama administration's cybersecurity coordinator job.
Credit: Justin Sullivan / Getty Images
Melissa E. Hathaway, the Obama administration's senior aide on cybersecurity, is stepping down from her role due to delays in the choosing of an administrator to lead the government's initiative to fortify the U.S.'s cyberinfrastructure.
Hathaway, who was appointed by the Bush administration, had been a top choice for the cybersecurity coordinator job. But in an statement she said she was no longer applying for the job. "I wasn't willing to continue to wait any longer, because I'm not empowered right now to continue to drive the change," Hathaway said. "I've concluded that I can do more now from a different role," possibly working for a private company.
Hathaway called President Obama out on his statement two months ago that he would hand pick a cybersecurity coordinator to spearhead the initiative. "We've made a lot of progress in the last 30 months that I've been in government, and now it's time to move on," Hathaway said. "It's up to the administration to take the next step."
A former government official says the administration has interviewed 30 people for the job, and others have expressed frustration with the appointment's delays. The new cybersecurity coordinator will be responsible for developing a national cybersecurity strategy involving military, civilian, and intelligence agencies.
From The Washington Post
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