The White House’s Acting Principal Deputy National Cyber Director Jake Braun stepped down from his role on June 28, returning to academia full-time at the University of Chicago.
Braun joined the Office of the National Cyber Director (ONCD) in an acting capacity in 2023, following former Principal Deputy NCD Kemba Walden’s promotion to lead the cyber office.
It is not clear who will take on Braun’s position at ONCD at this time.
“Helping run a startup in the White House has been one of the best experiences of my professional career. ONCD has accomplished so much in such a short period of time,” Braun said in a statement. “I can’t thank the team at ONCD – especially Director Coker and Kemba Walden – as well as President Biden enough for giving me this opportunity.”
Braun continued to serve as a lecturer at the University of Chicago’s Harris School of Public Policy during his time at the White House. Braun served as the university’s inaugural director of its Cyber Policy Initiative from 2018-2021. He now serves as a senior advisor to the program.
“From the beginning of the Biden-Harris Administration, and even earlier, Jake Braun has been a fierce advocate for our Nation’s cybersecurity,” NCD Harry Coker said in a statement. “At every opportunity, I’ve seen Jake be a champion for the implementation of the National Cybersecurity Strategy, rallying ONCD and our mission partners to collaboratively focus on achieving meaningful outcomes.”
“I am especially grateful for Jake’s advocacy and action on behalf of our Nation’s critical infrastructure owners and operators, helping them learn about and take advantage of the resources wisely allocated through the President’s Investing in America agenda,” Coker said.
“Along the way, Jake repeatedly heard organizations tell us they need two things: resources and trained workers,” he continued. In every meeting, in every engagement, his focus on having an impact for those on the front lines of our Nation’s cybersecurity has been unwavering – that’s leadership. I personally am grateful to Jake for not only his incredible leadership while he’s been here at ONCD, but also his guidance and friendship.”
Braun was appointed by President Biden in 2021 to serve as a senior advisor to the Department of Homeland Security (DHS) where he focused on cybersecurity until December 2023. He also served as the DHS secretary’s senior advisor to the management directorate, which oversees all operations for the department.
He held a similar role during the Obama administration, serving two years as the White House liaison to DHS in 2009 and 2010. He also spent an additional two years during the Obama administration as a senior consultant at DHS from 2011-2013, where he designed and implemented a program to modernize the department’s cybersecurity workforce.
Braun has also served in leadership roles in both the Obama and Biden presidential campaigns.
Braun also co-founded and served as the CEO of Cambridge Global Advisors, a national security consulting firm. He was also co-founder of the DEF CON Voting Machine Hacking Village where he co-authored two award-winning works on election security.
