Cyber Policy Leadership Institute’s Inaugural Session
This week, the Cyber Policy Leadership Institute (CPLI) held its first session at Crowdstrike headquarters, where its inaugural class of eight students received an introduction on cybersecurity policy from public policy experts.
CPLI is a collaboration between CrowdStrike, Advocacy Blueprints, and POPVOX Foundation dedicated to bridging the representation gap in cybersecurity policy. The seeds for the program were planted in 2023 at the The White House Office of the National Cyber Director’s State of Cybersecurity in the Black Community Roundtable.
The program offers students, particularly those from underrepresented groups in cyber, opportunities to learn and engage in both US and international cybersecurity public policy. CPLI's curriculum emphasizes the importance of a racial equity and human impact perspective in policy-making, ensuring that policies are inclusive and equitable for all communities. It introduces students to the basics of US and international cybersecurity public policy and fosters holistic learning.
The students received a cyber threat brief from Crowdstrike’s Head of Global Intel Adam Meyers, one of the inaugural members of Crowdstrike. Advocacy Blueprint’s Nicole Tisdale and Crowdstrike’s VP and Counsel on Privacy and Policy Drew Bagley provided a general education overview on the cybersecurity policy landscape and relationships between public and private organizations to advocate for protections and fight against cyberattacks. POPVOX Foundation’s Deputy Director of Governance and Innovation Taylor J. Swift spoke on the importance of Congress’ power of the purse and oversight powers to help students better understand funding and resource allocation for cybersecurity talent recruitment and cybersecurity policy oversight at the federal level.
Rob Sheldon and Karen Kaya from CrowdStrike also joined to debate with students about the human impacts of the Cyber Poverty Line, incident reporting laws and regulations, critical infrastructure designations, and more!
All four sessions will include speaker series, roundtable discussions, mentorships, and preparation for internships in cybersecurity and public policy. Additionally, the program provides opportunities for further education and networking through various events. The aim is for CPLI Fellows to join the cyber policy community through internships and careers in cyber policy. Learn more about the CPLI program at popvox.org/cpli.
