The Institute for Security and Technology Announces Finalists for the Third Annual Cyber Policy Awards™

23 finalists are in contention to receive The Atlas award, chosen by an august panel of judges from across the cyber community

WASHINGTON, Jan. 8, 2026 /PRNewswire/ — The Cyber Policy Awards Organizing Committee is pleased to announce the 23 finalists in contention to receive the prestigious Cyber Policy Award of Merit at next month’s third annual gala celebrating excellence in cybersecurity policy, leadership, diplomacy, research, and journalism.

Hosted by the Institute for Security and Technology, the Cyber Policy Awards is the premier gathering of the U.S. cyber policy community and key international partners to recognize those who have driven meaningful progress over the past year.

During an open nomination period, the cyber policy community and broader public were invited to nominate an individual, small group, or organization who demonstrated impact during 2025. After careful review, an august panel of judges from across the cyber community selected this year’s finalists from a pool of 85 submissions. The winners in each category will be revealed and celebrated at a gala event on the evening of Thursday, February 5, 2026 at the National Press Club in Washington, DC.

“The Cyber Policy Awards belong to the entire community. With open nominations, transparent procedures, and an independent panel of judges, this is truly a celebration of excellence by and for those working to make cyberspace more secure and resilient,” said organizing committee chairman Steve Kelly. “IST is honored to facilitate this recognition, but the community itself determines who deserves these honors.”

The finalists in each category are:

U.S. Domestic Policy Impact

• Colin Ahern for his comprehensive efforts to protect New York State critical infrastructure
• Alexandra Seymour and Emily Park for bipartisan efforts to advance reauthorization of the Cybersecurity Information Sharing Act of 2015 in Congress, and to John Miller and Mike Flynn for industry efforts to galvanize consensus
• Michael Geraghty for transformation of New Jersey’s cybersecurity posture, delivering measurable economic and security impact

International Policy Impact

• Australian Signals Directorate and the Australian Cyber Security Centre for elevating critical infrastructure resilience from technical checklist to global policy imperative
• Will Mayes, Ciaran Martin, James Burns, Ed Lewis, and Ruth Goodwin for establishing the Cyber Monitoring Centre to categorize and measure the impact of major cyber incidents
• Mark Montgomery for cyber leadership in practice, from Ukraine’s frontlines to the Indo-Pacific
• Matthew Rogers for driving worldwide adoption of secure-by-demand principles for operational technology systems

International Partnership

• Digi Americas Alliance for shaping Brazil’s cybersecurity and AI governance framework through legislative collaboration
• The Global Forum for Cyber Expertise (GFCE) for uniting global stakeholders to more effectively build cyber capacity
• The Cyber Defense Assistance Collaborative (CDAC) for creative scaling of private sector assistance to Ukraine
• Dr. Kubo Mačák, Tomáš Minárik, and Otakar Horák for leading an international collaboration on cyber-related issues of international law through the Cyber Law Toolkit, fostering shared understandings across regions and legal traditions

Ecosystem Champion

• Philip Reitinger for championing the cybersecurity nonprofits ecosystem
• Thomas Billington for facilitating trusted collaboration and advocacy to strengthen U.S. and allied cyber resilience
• Building Cybersecurity for its commitment to enhancing human safety in the connected built environment
• United States Navy’s Chief Technology Office for scaling zero trust architecture and operational resilience across the U.S. Navy and beyond

Research Impact

• Dr. Fred Heiding, Alex O’Neill, and Lachlan Price for creating the Cybersecurity Strategy Scorecard to guide nations in building effective cyber policies
• Wenyi Morty Zhang, Annie Dai, Dr. Keegan Ryan, Dr. Dave Levin, Dr. Nadia Heninger, and Dr. Aaron Schulman for their groundbreaking research exposing critical vulnerabilities in GEO satellite links
• Cheri Caddy, Virginia Wright, Benjamin Lampe, Andrew Ginter, and Andrew Ohrt for advancing cybersecurity for physical systems through Cyber-Informed Engineering
• Jamie MacColl for championing evidence-based research to shape cybersecurity and sanctions strategy in the UK and beyond

Excellence in Journalism 

• Dina Temple-Raston, Sean Powers, Megan Detrie, and Karen Duffin (CLICK HERE podcast) for their coverage of North Korea’s secret army of hackers
• Jenna McLaughlin (NPR) for investigative reporting of unauthorized data access at the National Labor Relations Board and its cybersecurity implications
• Renee Dudley and Doris Burke (ProPublica) for investigative reporting uncovering the Pentagon’s reliance on Chinese contractors for cloud work
• Brian Krebs (Krebs on Security) for significant contributions to the strategic and tactical understanding of cyber criminality

The recipient of the Lifetime Achievement award will be revealed during the February 5 ceremony.

For additional information on the finalists or to request an invitation to the Cyber Policy Awards gala, visit www.cyberpolicyawards.org.

Sponsors
Platinum Level

• Microsoft
• Craig Newmark Philanthropies

Gold Level

• Forescout

Silver Level

• AT&T
• Venable LLP and the Center for Cybersecurity Policy and Law
• GDIT

Bronze Level

• AWS

About The Institute for Security and Technology:
The Institute for Security and Technology (IST) is a 501(c)(3) critical action think tank that unites technology and policy leaders to create actionable solutions to emerging security challenges. IST stands at the forefront of convening policymakers, technology experts, and industry leaders to identify and translate discourse into impactful action. We take collaborative action to advance national security and global stability through technology built on trust, guiding businesses and governments with hands-on expertise, in-depth analysis, and a global network. Since our foundation in 2019, IST has launched initiatives addressing challenges such as ransomware, the resilience of lifeline critical infrastructure, the integration of AI and nuclear command, control, and communications, and more. To learn more, visit https://securityandtechnology.org/ 

Media Contact:
Sophia Mauro
Senior Director for Strategic Communications
sophia@securityandtechnology.org 

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SOURCE Institute for Security and Technology