Gregory J. Touhill is the director of the CERT Division of the Carnegie Mellon University (CMU) Software Engineering Institute (SEI), where he leads researchers who analyze security vulnerabilities, contribute to long-term improvements in cybersecurity, and develop cutting-edge training.

Touhill served as the first CISO of the United States government and as deputy assistant secretary in the Department of Homeland Security’s Office of Cybersecurity and Communications.

Before joining the SEI, he was president of Appgate Federal, a cybersecurity and advanced technology company, and served on several industry and non-profit boards of directors.

Touhill is a 30-year U.S. Air Force combat veteran. He served as an operational commander and senior leader, advancing to the position of J6 and CIO of USTRANSCOM. As a general officer, he served as the US Senior Defense Official and Defense Attaché to Kuwait as a member of the US diplomatic mission at the US Embassy, Kuwait City. He is the recipient of numerous military decorations including the Bronze Star medal, the Air Force Science and Engineering Achievement Award, and the Master CyberspaceOperations and Master Space Operations wings. He retired from the U.S. Air Force with the rank of brigadier general.

Touhill holds degrees from the Pennsylvania State University, the University of Southern California, and the Air War College. He maintains CISSP, CISM, and NACD-DC certifications, and he is an adjunct faculty member of Carnegie Mellon’s Heinz College. 

Touhill has been widely recognized by organizations including Federal Computer Week and Security Magazine for his contributions to cybersecurity. He is a recipient of the Baldrige Foundation Leadership Award in Cybersecurity, the General Michael V. Hayden Lifetime Achievement Award, the ICS2 F. Lynn McNulty Tribute Award, the Government Information Security Leadership Award, and was inducted into the Air Force Cyberspace and Air Traffic Control Hall of Honor. He is a co-author of Cybersecurity for Executives: A Practical Guide and Commercialization of Innovative Technologies.