Cyber Civil Defense Summit 2025

June 11, 2025
Washington, D.C.

A one-of-a-kind gathering of cyber defenders, academics, and policymakers
with the mission of protecting our most at-risk public infrastructure.

THE SUMMIT

Defending public life against cyber threats is a national challenge with profoundly local impacts. With low-level cyber attacks like ransomware consistently on the rise, the task of strengthening the defenses of community organizations in every corner of the nation seems impossible to take on.

But no one is alone in this challenge of scaling local and regional cyber defense; across the country, communities are rising up to protect the institutions that uphold public life.

The UC Berkeley Center for Long-Term Cybersecurity is pleased to host the third annual Cyber Civil Defense Summit to bring together cyber defenders from all sectors in this common mission.

The Summit endeavors to join forces across defenders, academics, volunteers, and public servants working on fortifying regional cyber defense. Learn more

The theme of the 2025 Summit is:

Our exclusive panels will spotlight empirical research on topics in public interest cybersecurity and explore evidence-informed strategies to bolster the cyber resilience of civic organizations too often left behind in cybersecurity.

SPEAKERS

Congresswoman Stacey E. Plaskett
U.S. House of Representatives

Colin Ahern
State of New York

**Tony Sauerhoff**
Texas Department of Information Resources

**State Senator** **Liz Brown**
Indiana State Senate

**State Senator Katie Fry Hester**
Maryland State Senate

**Brandon Carter**
U.S. Environmental Protection Agency

**David Batz**
Edison Electric Institute

Maggie Miller
POLITICO

**Craig Newmark**
Craig Newmark Philanthropies

**Michael Klein**
Institute for Security and Technology

Iranga Kahangama
UC Berkeley Center for Long-Term Cybersecurity

**Pavlina Pavlova**
United Nations Office on Drugs and Crime

**Netta Squires**
Open District Solutions

**Munish Walther-Puri**
NYU Center for Global Affairs and IANS Research

Ann Cleaveland
UC Berkeley Center for Long-Term Cybersecurity

Sarah Powazek
UC Berkeley Center for Long-Term Cybersecurity

**Shannon Pierson**
UC Berkeley Center for Long-Term Cybersecurity

PRESENTED BY THE UC BERKELEY CENTER FOR LONG-TERM CYBERSECURITY

in partnership with Craig Newmark Philanthropies and Okta for Good

Craig Newmark, Founder of Craig Newmark Philanthropies, joins Ann Cleaveland, CLTC Executive Director, for a fireside chat at the Cyber Civil Defense Summit 2023.