Robert Silvers
Former Assistant Secretary for Cyber Policy, U.S. Department of Homeland Security

There has been much discussion of an impending “Cyber Pearl Harbor,” but nation-states have to date employed less dramatic, more insidious campaigns that have nevertheless succeeded in destabilizing other countries and their industries. Former DHS Assistant Secretary for Cyber Policy Robert Silvers will discuss the geopolitical cyber landscape, and how the new Administration might confront the challenges and seize the opportunities.

Robert Silvers served as the Assistant Secretary for Cyber Policy at the U.S. Department of Homeland Security, where he oversaw the development of Department-wide cyber policies and strategies. His responsibilities included the Department’s engagement on cyber defense with the private sector, its response during significant cyber incidents, and its pursuit of law enforcement cyber investigations.

From 2014-2016, Mr. Silvers served as Deputy Chief of Staff at DHS, where he oversaw all policy development, operational implementation and budget issues across DHS’s 22 agencies and 240,000 employees. Mr. Silvers advised Department leadership on matters pertaining to cybersecurity, counterterrorism, aviation security, the immigration system, border security, trade and travel facilitation and disaster response. Prior to that role, he served as the Senior Counselor to the Deputy Secretary of DHS, and before that as Senior Counselor to the Director of U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services.

Before joining DHS, Mr. Silvers was an attorney at the international law firm O’Melveny & Myers LLP, where he handled complex transnational disputes and investigative matters for his clients. Mr. Silvers also served as a law clerk to the Hon. Kim McLane Wardlaw of the U.S. Court of Appeals for the Ninth Circuit.

Mr. Silvers holds a J.D. from New York University Law School, where he was named Dean’s Scholar, and a B.A. from the University of Pennsylvania, graduating summa cum laude and as valedictorian of the International Relations program. He and his wife, Alison, have a three-year-old son and live in Washington, D.C.

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