The October 2025 Tech Talk was presented by Douglas Gray
Abstract
Cybersecurity mandates across defense, aerospace, and life-critical systems are growing in urgency and complexity. Whether facing CMMC compliance, Agile integration, or zero-failure system demands, organizations increasingly depend on more than just secure code — they need people who are capable, aligned, and ready for what’s next.
This talk introduces the Cyber Success Vector™, a leadership and workforce development model designed to grow mission-ready cyber professionals. Fully compatible with the DoD Cyber Workforce Framework (DCWF), this model enables organizations to:
- Build and sustain DCWF-aligned competencies across diverse roles
- Integrate cyber readiness into Agile and DevSecOps environments
- Align people capabilities with mission risk and system assurance needs
- Develop leadership at every level—from practitioners to program managers
- Prepare not only today’s workforce, but also shape the future force in cybersecurity
Attendees will walk away with actionable tools to assess, grow, and retain cyber talent in high-stakes environments — where operational resilience and human readiness are critical to mission success.
About the Presenter
Doug Gray is a cybersecurity and strategic risk leader with over 20 years of experience spanning federal civilian, defense, intelligence, and commercial sectors. His career has focused on advancing operational resilience, maturing cybersecurity governance, and leading high-impact teams through transformational change.
Doug began his cyber journey as a senior Army officer, leading the 10th Mountain Division’s cybersecurity operations during combat and later guiding the U.S. Army Command and Control Support Agency to runner-up for the NSA’s prestigious Rowlett Award for organizational excellence in cybersecurity. These experiences laid the foundation for a career built on mission alignment, innovation, and measurable outcomes.
Since transitioning from uniformed service, Doug has held executive roles in government and industry, serving as a senior cybersecurity leader for a financial regulator, leading information assurance for the U.S. Senate, and managing global cybersecurity and ITSM efforts for a member of the Intelligence Community. He has developed enterprise risk programs, modernized ITSM platforms, and created frameworks such as the Software Engineering Institute, Carnegie Mellon University’s Intelligence Preparation for Operational Resilience (IPOR). His credentials include the CISSP-ISSMP, CRISC, and the CISO certificate from the National Defense University.
Doug is the creator of the Cyber Success Vector™, a comprehensive leadership and workforce development model that aligns cyber talent with mission-critical needs, fostering the skills, resilience, and leadership required to succeed in high-stakes environments.
