ONCD Welcomes Mr. Harry Coker, Jr. as Next National Cyber Director

PRESS RELEASE

December 12, 2023

Earlier today, the United States Senate confirmed Mr. Harry Coker, Jr. as National Cyber Director in the White House Office of the National Cyber Director. Once sworn in, Mr. Coker will be the second National Cyber Director in the Office, which was established in 2021 as part of the National Defense Authorization Act. The National Cyber Director serves as principal advisor to the President on cybersecurity policy and strategy.

“We are delighted that the Senate confirmed Mr. Coker as our next National Cyber Director,” said Drenan Dudley the Acting National Cyber Director. “His four decades of experience in the public and private sector will further ONCD’s success. We look forward to his leadership advancing the work underway to implement President Biden’s National Cybersecurity Strategy.  On behalf of the entire team, we welcome Mr. Coker’s stewardship in this next chapter for ONCD.”

BIOGRAPHY

HARRY COKER, JR.

NATIONAL CYBER DIRECTOR

Harry Coker, Jr. was confirmed by the Senate on December 12, 2023 as the second National Cyber Director in the Office of the National Cyber Director, the White House.  Director Coker is a retired Central Intelligence Agency (CIA) senior executive and career Naval Officer, is a graduate of the US Naval Academy, the Naval Postgraduate School, and Georgetown University Law Center.

Coker completed a joint duty assignment as the Executive Director of the National Security Agency (NSA). As the third in command of the largest component of the US Intelligence Community, he directly supported NSA’s Director and Deputy Director in the strategic and day-to-day leadership of the Agency. Coker’s service to the Nation and NSA was recognized with the awarding of the National Intelligence Distinguished Service Medal, the NSA Director’s Distinguished Service Medal, and the IC EEOD Outstanding Leadership Award.

During the first seventeen years of his service with the CIA, Coker was assigned to leadership positions in the Directorate of Digital Innovation; the Directorate of Science & Technology; and the Director’s Area. Key assignments included service as Director of the Open Source Enterprise, which is responsible for leveraging publicly available information; and as Deputy Director of CIA’s Office of Public Affairs, which is responsible for the Agency’s internal and external communications and media relations. Coker was also a member of the small, hand-selected team of senior officers that architected the Agency’s organizational construct and operating model. He also had a key role in formulating and executing the Diversity in Leadership Study; and served on the Executive Diversity & Inclusion Council. Coker’s leadership and contributions earned him the Presidential Rank Award and CIA’s prestigious Don Cryer Award for Diversity & Inclusion.