Commonwealth Cyber Initiative names managing director

John P. Delaney has been appointed as managing director of the Commonwealth Cyber Initiative (CCI), effective June 25, Virginia Tech announced Monday. The CCI Hub is located in the Virginia Tech Research Center in Arlington.

Delaney is a U.S. Army veteran, having recently retired from a 30-year career. He had most recently been the chief of staff for Army Cyber Command at the Department of Defense. In his new role, he will lead the operations team that supports researchers across CCI-affiliated institutions. He will oversee personnel, financial management, operations and communications, and reports directly to CCI Executive Director Luiz A. DaSilva.

“John brings to CCI superb organizational and leadership skills, after a long and distinguished career in the Department of Defense,” DaSilva said in a statement. Delaney will also serve as the executive secretariat of the CCI Leadership Council and interact with the Virginia Innovation Partnership Authority and other Virginia government agencies.

In his most recent role, Delaney oversaw programming and execution of a $1.6 billion budget and was a member of the Command Group, responsible for planning and executing cyberspace operations and network defense. He led a 500-person staff and worked with the chief of staff of the Army and members of Congress. 

Delaney has also previously been a senior fellow of the Washington Institute for Near East Policy and was a brigade commander for the Army. He earned his bachelor’s degree in business administration from Elon University in North Carolina, a master’s degree in human resource development from Webster University and another master’s degree in national security and resource strategy from the National Defense University.

Established in the 2018-20 state budget, the CCI is a network of higher education, industry, government, nongovernmental and economic development organizations with hubs in Central, Eastern, Northern and Southwest Virginia. Approximately $20 million each year will be invested in the CCI.

“While at Army Cyber Command, I saw first-hand how powerful collaboration between academia, industry and the federal government can be to enable rapid advances in cyber-security capabilities,” Delaney said in the statement. “The CCI mission is to do the same for the commonwealth of Virginia, and I look forward to working with our great network of colleges and universities, industry and government partners, and talented researchers and students to drive innovation, develop cutting-edge cyber technologies, and position the commonwealth as a world-leader in cybersecurity.” 

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