The Cybersecurity and Infrastructure Security Agency (CISA) said today that Brandon Wales is stepping down as the agency’s executive director, and that Bridget Bean will take over as executive director next month.
Wales has served as CISA’s executive director since late 2019 with responsibility for leading long-term strategy development, managing agency-wide policy initiatives, and ensuring effective mission execution across the agency.
He was named CISA’s acting director in November 2020 after former President Trump fired then-Director Chris Krebs. Wales resumed his duties as executive director after Jen Easterly was confirmed by the Senate to head the agency in July 2021.
Prior to his role at CISA, Wales held senior roles at the Department of Homeland Security including acting chief of staff and deputy chief of staff.
There was no immediate word today on where Wales is going next, but Easterly offered effusive praise of his tenure at the agency.
“It has been an honor to serve with Brandon Wales over the past three years,” the CISA director said.
“Brandon has guided CISA through some of the most serious threats facing our Nation,” Easterly said. “From Sunburst to the ransomware attack on Colonial pipeline to the Russian full-scale invasion of Ukraine, the Agency and the Department have looked to Brandon time and again for his leadership and deep expertise.”
“With more than 20 years of federal service, including more than 19 at the Department, he was here before we were CISA and expertly helped shape the Agency into what we are today,” she said.
Easterly said that she and Wales have been “planning for his departure together and are prepared to execute a seamless transition” with the appointment of Bean to take over as executive director.
Bean has been Assistant Director for Integrated Operations at CISA since 2021, and before that logged more than 25 years in senior roles at the Federal Emergency Management Agency and the Small Business Administration.
“With more than three decades of federal government service, Bridget brings extraordinary leadership and experience to the role, which will involve a dedicated focus on operationalizing a fully unified and cohesive team,” Easterly said.
