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Christopher Painter

President, The Global Forum on Cyber Expertise Foundation

Former Senior Director for Cyber Policy and Acting Cyber Coordinator, U.S. National Security Council

Christopher Painter is a globally recognized leader on cyberpolicy, cyberdiplomacy, cybersecurity, and combatting cybercrime. He has been at the vanguard of cyber issues for over 27 years, first as a federal prosecutor handling some of the most high-profile cyber cases in the United States, then as a senior official at the U.S. Department of Justice, the FBI, the White House National Security Council, and finally, as the world’s first cyber diplomat at the U.S. Department of State. Among many other things, Painter served as a commissioner on the Global Commission for the Stability of Cyberspace and had been involved with the Global Forum on Cyber Expertise since its launch in 2015, including as Chair of the GFCE Working Group on Cyber Security Policy and Strategy. He is a frequent speaker on cyber issues, frequently is interviewed and quoted in the media, and has testified on numerous occasions to U.S. Congressional committees. 

Painter has received a number of awards and honors, including Japan’s Order of the Rising Sun, the RSA Security Conference Public Policy Award, and the Attorney General’s Award for Exceptional Service. He received his BA from Cornell University and JD from Stanford Law School. 

Baidoa, Somalia

Makeshift, temporary shelter made of plastic and clothing at a refugee center in Baidoa, Somalia.