Press Release 12.15.23
National Cryptologic Foundation (NCF) Announces Two New Members
Join the Board of Directors, and a New Chairman is Elected
Former NSA Deputy Director and former inaugural White House National Cyber Director join the Foundation.
(Glen Burnie, MD, December 15, 2023) The National Cryptologic Foundation is pleased to welcome two new members to the organization’s Board of Directors. George Barnes and John ‘Chris’ Inglis were both former Deputy Directors at NSA, and the latter served in the White House as the first U.S. National Cyber Director. The Board of Directors has also appointed Chairman-Elect George Barnes, who will succeed current Chairman Richard C. “Dick” Schaeffer, Jr.
“We are thrilled that George was elected to our board and appointed our new Chairman, and we are equally thrilled that Chris has returned to serve on our board.” There is a global urgency to protect critical assets and infrastructure from cyberattacks. As NSA Deputy Director, George Barnes was instrumental in developing the Progress Through Partnership vision that became the basis of the Memorandum of Agreement signed by the Director of NSA, GEN Nakasone, and NCF in 2021,” said Laura Nelson, NCF CEO & President. “He was the driving force for launching the inaugural NCF-sponsored “Convening to Act” on Quantum Resistant Cryptography and to ensure experts from NSA were engaged in the process. In his time as Deputy Director, Mr. Barnes was an advocate for the NCF as he recognized the importance of our private-public partnership in shaping discussions on topics of national security interest,” Nelson added.
“We are very pleased to welcome Chris Inglis back to the NCF Board of Directors. Mr. Inglis served as the inaugural Senate confirmed U.S. National Cyber Director from 2021 to 2023. We look forward, once again, to his contributions to our mission.”
The mission of the NCF is to advance the nation’s interest in cyber and cryptology as we educate and engage citizens to be cyber smart individuals, develop pathways for our future cyber and cryptologic workforce, engage and convene partners to address emerging cyber and cryptologic issues, and commemorate our cryptologic history and those who served.
Mr. George C. Barnes is a partner at the incubation firm Red Cell Partners, which builds and invests in rapidly scalable technology-led companies that bring revolutionary advancements to the healthcare and national security markets. Prior to joining Red Cell Partners, Mr. Barnes served as the Deputy Director and senior civilian leader of the U.S. National Security Agency (NSA) from April 2017 through September 2023. In this role, Mr. Barnes served as NSA’s chief operating officer, overseeing strategy, policy, and operations. As an agency deputy in the U.S. national security system, Mr. Barnes supported the U.S. defense and intelligence enterprise in national security strategy execution and the formulation of supporting policies. He positioned NSA as an integrated mission partner, enabling U.S. decision advantage and security against foreign threats.
Mr. Inglis is re-joining the NCF Board of Directors after serving in the White House as the first U.S. National Cyber Director from 2021 to 2023. Mr. Inglis is currently a strategic advisor to Paladin Capital, a Visiting Professor at the U.S. Air Force and Naval Academies, and a member of the Huntington Bancshares Board and the U.S. Department of Homeland Security Cybersecurity Advisory Council. Mr. Inglis served as a Commissioner on the U.S. Cyberspace Solarium Commission (2019-2020) and eight years as the Deputy Director and Chief Operating Officer of the National Security Agency (2006-2014).
Contact: Christine Harding
(301) 399-4101
charding@cryptologicfoundation.org
