ICIT Welcomes Val Cofield as Executive Director

Washington, D.C. – October 15, 2025 – The Institute for Critical Infrastructure Technology (ICIT), the nation’s oldest and only think tank with the mission of modernizing, securing, and making resilient critical infrastructure that provides for people’s foundational needs, is proud to announce the appointment of Val Cofield as Executive Director.

A proven leader with more than two decades of experience in cyber and critical infrastructure security, strategy, and law enforcement at the highest levels of government, Ms. Cofield will guide ICIT’s mission.

"Val is one of those rare leaders who combines strategic vision with deep expertise in the complex world of cyber and critical infrastructure security. Having worked alongside her on the Cyberspace Solarium Commission, I saw firsthand her ability to turn ambitious ideas into action and unite people around a shared mission. I’m thrilled to be working with her again as she leads ICIT forward—her leadership will be transformative for our organization and for the broader effort to strengthen the systems that sustain our national resilience. Val embodies the values that define our community.” 

— Cory Simpson, CEO, Institute for Critical Infrastructure Technology

Prior to joining ICIT, Ms. Cofield served as the Chief Strategy Officer of the Department of Homeland Security’s Cybersecurity and Infrastructure Security Agency (CISA). In this role, she was the principal policy and strategic adviser to CISA leadership, integrating strategy across all mission areas while ensuring consistency between policy, strategy, and operations throughout the agency.

Previously, she served for 22 years with the FBI, where she held a variety of senior roles. She served as Deputy Assistant Director for the Cyber Capabilities Branch, overseeing the deployment of the division’s technical tools and capabilities, as well as cyber-related training, recruiting, hiring, and budgeting. She also held leadership roles as Chief of Staff of the Science and Technology Branch and as Deputy Assistant Director of the FBI’s Digital Transformation Office, where she engaged with interagency partners and stakeholders on the impact of current and emerging technologies on law enforcement.

In 2019, Ms. Cofield was selected as the FBI’s senior detail to the Cyberspace Solarium Commission, a Congressional commission established by the National Defense Authorization Act of 2019 to develop a national strategy for preventing cyberattacks of significant consequence. As a Senior Director and Task Force Lead, she played a central role in developing the Commission’s final report, issued in March 2020, which included over 80 recommendations—25 of which have since been enacted into law.

As Executive Director, Ms. Cofield will lead ICIT’s strategic direction, expand the organization’s reach, and ensure that ICIT’s research and engagement efforts drive impactful modernization and security solutions for the nation’s critical infrastructure technology.

“After 26 years in federal service, I’m honored to join ICIT as Executive Director. ICIT’s mission to modernize, secure, and strengthen the critical infrastructure that provides for people’s foundational needs has never been more urgent. As our reliance on technology grows, so do the challenges facing our aging systems. I look forward to collaborating with leaders across industry, government, Congress, and civil society to develop pragmatic solutions—while inspiring future innovators to see how vital and exciting resilient, cybersecure infrastructure truly is.”

— Val Cofield, Executive Director, Institute for Critical Infrastructure Technology

For more information about ICIT and its initiatives, please visit www.icitech.org.

Media Contact:media@icitech.org 

Institute for Critical Infrastructure Technology (ICIT)