America’s Cyber Resiliency in 2024: A Conversation with CSC 2.0 Co-Chair Sen. Angus King

A livestream of the conversation will begin here at 8:30am ET on Thursday, September 19.
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As cyber threats from malign actors against America’s critical infrastructure evolve, so must our defenses. Four years ago, the congressionally mandated Cyberspace Solarium Commission (CSC) offered a new strategic approach to combat these threats and defend U.S. national security and economic interests in cyberspace.

Since then, the Commission’s report and white papers have driven significant advancements in U.S. cybersecurity policy, prompting Congress and the White House to develop innovative solutions to address these challenges. These efforts have improved federal government coordination, advanced U.S. cyber interests globally, deepened public-private partnerships, bolstered national resilience, and preserved military instruments of national power. However, key questions remain for Congress and the White House. Is the private sector adequately prepared to defend against sophisticated cyberattacks? What impact do funding shortfalls have on implementing the National Cyber Strategy? What lessons should guide the incoming administration and Congress in strengthening U.S. cybersecurity posture?

To explore these questions, FDD and CSC 2.0 host a discussion featuring Commission Co-Chair Sen. Angus King (I-ME); Tom Fanning, Former Executive Chairman of Southern Company; and former Executive Director RADM (Ret.) Mark Montgomery, who leads CSC 2.0 and serves as senior director of FDD’s Center on Cyber and Technology Innovation (CCTI). Sam Sabin, Cybersecurity Reporter at Axios will moderate the conversation. This event coincides with the release of the fourth annual assessment report, which evaluates the progress made and the challenges ahead in implementing the Commission’s recommendations.

Sen. Angus King (I-ME)

Sen. Angus King (I-ME) serves the people of Maine in the U.S. Senate – sworn in as Maine’s first Independent United States Senator in January 2013. Senator King served as the co-chair of the Cyberspace Solarium Commission (CSC), a bipartisan effort established by Congress to review the threats facing America in cyberspace and develop a forward-looking plan on how to defend ourselves against cyber threats. He continues to serve as co-chair of CSC 2.0, an initiative that works to implement CSC recommendations. Senator King has worked to strengthen America’s national security and conducted critical oversight of the nation’s Intelligence Community. He is a member of the Armed Services Committee, the Select Committee on Intelligence, the Committee on Energy and Natural Resources, and the Committee on Veterans’ Affairs.

Tom Fanning

Tom Fanning is the former Executive Chairman of Southern Company, America’s premier energy company. He served as CEO and president of the company for nearly 13 years. In addition, Tom served for nearly a decade as co-chair of the Electricity Subsector Coordinating Council, the principal liaison between the federal government and the electric power sector addressing threats to the electric grid. He served as a commissioner on the congressionally mandated Cyberspace Solarium Commission and currently chairs the Cybersecurity Advisory Committee of the Department of Homeland Security’s Cybersecurity and Infrastructure Security Agency.

RADM (Ret.) Mark Montgomery

RADM (Ret.) Mark Montgomery serves as the senior director of the Center on Cyber and Technology Innovation, where he leads FDD’s efforts to advance U.S. prosperity and security through technology innovation while countering cyber threats that seek to diminish them. Mark also directs CSC 2.0, and before that as executive director for the Cyberspace Solarium Commission Previously, Mark served as policy director for the Senate Armed Services Committee under the leadership of Senator John S. McCain, coordinating policy efforts on national security strategy, capabilities and requirements, and cyber policy. Mark served for 32 years in the U.S. Navy as a nuclear-trained surface warfare officer, retiring as a rear admiral in 2017.

Sam Sabin

Sam Sabin is a cybersecurity reporter at Axios and author of the twice-weekly Codebook newsletter. Before joining Axios, Sam authored Politico’s daily cybersecurity newsletter, covered tech policy at Morning Consult, and reported on the Washington, DC startup ecosystem at DC Inno.

Jiwon Ma

Jiwon Ma is a senior policy analyst at FDD’s Center on Cyber and Technology Innovation, where she contributes to the CSC 2.0 project. Her research focuses on the cyber threat landscape and adversarial strategies and capabilities, emerging technologies, cyber deterrence, and U.S. cyber and international security policies. Jiwon received an MA in international affairs from Columbia University’s School of International and Public Affairs and a BA in global studies from Lesley University.