Senior DHS cyber official to leave

Jeanette Manfra, a top official within the Department of Homeland Security’s cyber agency, announced Thursday that she will leave her position at the end of the year.

Manfra, who serves as the assistant director for Cybersecurity and Communications within the DHS Cybersecurity and Infrastructure Security Agency (CISA), tweeted that stepping down was “not an easy decision.”

“After 12 years at DHS, I’ll be leaving @CISAgov at the end of this year,” Manfra wrote. “This is not an easy decision, as it’s been one of my greatest honors to work alongside such a remarkable team on this incredibly important mission.”

House Homeland Security Committee Chairman Bennie Thompson (D-Miss.) and cybersecurity subcommittee Chairman Cedric Richmond (D-La.) praised Manfra in a joint statement on Thursday, specifically highlighting her efforts to improve election security and advance the cybersecurity of federal networks.

“She served as a steady hand through CISA’s transition to become an operational component, staying above the political fray to work with Members on both sides of the aisle to ensure CISA will be well-positioned to carry out its critical cybersecurity mission as cyber threats continue to evolve,” Thompson and Richmond said.