Director, Naval Academy Center for Cyber Security Studies, United States Naval Academy

Paul Tortora is the Director of the U.S. Naval Academy’s Center for Cyber Security Studies and Senior Intelligence Officer and a retired US Navy Captain.  He has spent over thirty years serving the government in a variety of high level positions in national security, intelligence, and cyber security from the Pentagon to the White House. As a career Naval Officer, he served as a Submarine Warfare Officer, Naval Nuclear Engineer, and Intelligence Officer, serving across the globe in peacetime and combat, with five deployments on fast attack nuclear submarines, amphibious assault ships, and nuclear aircraft carriers.

His shore assignments included the United States Naval Academy, Office of Naval Intelligence, Navy and Marine Corps Intelligence Training Center, Chief of Naval Operations staff, Naval aide and Intelligence Officer to the Secretary of the Navy, and the Office of the Director of National Intelligence.

His last active-duty assignment was as the Naval Academy’s first Director of the Center for Cyber Security Studies (CCSS) and the inaugural Chair of the new Cyber Science Department, overseeing the first Bachelors of Science Cyber Operations program in the country. Upon completion of active duty service, he transitioned to become the first civilian Director of CCSS and USNA’s Senior Intelligence Officer.

He recently concluded an assignment with the Office of the National Cyber Director (ONCD), assisting with ONCD’s initial establishment in several critical positions, to include as acting Deputy National Cyber Director for Technology and Ecosystem Security.  He was the main architect of the recently released National Cyber Workforce and Education Strategy.

He also serves on the advisory boards for the Military Cyber Professionals Association and the Technology Advancement Center.

His awards include the White House Exceptional Meritorious Service Medal, Legion of Merit, Defense Meritorious Service Medal, Meritorious Service Medal, and various campaign awards. He is a recipient of the National Military Intelligence Association’s Vice Admiral Taylor Award for Intelligence Leadership and Rear Admiral Layton Award for outstanding leadership in Naval Intelligence.