Ignatius Liberto

Ignatius Liberto is a seasoned and experienced strategic thinker and executive leader with more than three decades of experience in the U.S. Military and private sector with expertise in leading change, resource management, training and education, and mentoring. He joined the Tulane University faculty in 2021.

In 2020, he joined Department of Energy (DOE) and is currently the Director of Cybersecurity Compliance and Oversight with the DOE’s Office of the Chief Information Officer. He also serves as the DOE’s enterprise Authorizing Official Designated Representative. He and his team are responsible for building and implementing innovative Department-wide enterprise risk-based cybersecurity programs, providing guidance and consultation for emerging trends. His diverse portfolio includes managing the enterprise risk register; directing the comprehensive Authorization and Assessment process for all enterprise and cloud-based systems; data collection, validation, and analysis for Executive Order, FISMA, and FITARA reporting requirements; implementing enterprise cybersecurity awareness and training programs; and leading the DOE’s biannual CyberFIRE event, the premier cyber incident response training program. In 2021 he was selected as a staff member with the U.S. Marine Corps Cyber Auxiliary and in 2022, he also joined Davis Defense Group to teach Leadership and Ethics for the U.S. Naval Community College.

Prior to joining DOE, Ignatius was a Department of Defense (DOD) Civilian with Joint Force Headquarters - Department of Defense Information Network (JFHQ-DODIN) for three years. JFHQ-DODIN executes global Command and Control of DODIN operations and defensive cyberspace operations (DCO). He initially supervised his newly formed organization’s Full Operational Capable readiness assessment and certification as a joint component of United States Cyber Command and was then promoted to Chief of Staff, where he served as the principal advisor to the Commander. He was responsible for the extensive breadth and depth of internal staff integration and joint warfighting functions supporting the command’s global mission. In addition, he prioritized and directed the Commander's decision-making cycle to synchronize DCO and defensive measures/countermeasures and to synthesize global intelligence sharing which enhanced the security and protection against adversary cyberattacks and enabled U.S. military power projection, freedom of action, and mission assurance across all warfighting domains.

Before JFHQ-DODIN, he served for 30 years as a U.S. Marine Corps Infantry, Force Reconnaissance, and Joint Qualified Officer where he commanded and led numerous diverse Marine, joint, and multi-national organizations at increasing echelons of authority and responsibility during a myriad of world-wide deployments and combat operations. He has worked as an operations analyst, program manager, and senior director for corporations supporting distinctive portfolios for several classified DOD programs and systems (Boeing Phantom Works and Engility). In addition, he was a distance education faculty member for the U.S. Marine Corps University instructing classes and programs for the Command and Staff College.

Ignatius completed his undergraduate studies at Tulane University in 1984 where he earned a Bachelor of Arts in History and, in 2011, he earned a Master Certificate from Villanova University in Applied Program Management. In 2021, he earned both his Master of Science Degree in Cybersecurity Management and a Master Certificate in Cyber Defense from Tulane University and was inducted into the Order of the Sword and Shield, the National Information Technology Honor Society. In 2022 was credentialed as a Certified Information Security Manager (CISM). Over his career, he attended several executive programs and advanced courses at the U.S. Army John F. Kennedy Special Warfare Center, U.S. Marine Corps University, Harvard Kennedy School, National Defense University, and U.S. Naval War College.

Ignatius believes in life-long learning, and is passionate about being a trainer, coach, and mentor to those within his sphere of influence. An enthusiastic student of history, he enjoys sharing interesting stories about our past with anyone willing to listen. While Ignatius’ background is deeply rooted in New Orleans, he currently lives in northern Virginia, and enjoys the adventure lifestyle with his wife and dogs in the Appalachian Mountains.