The Institute for Security and Technology Announces the Winners of the Third Annual Cyber Policy Awards™

Senator Gary Peters delivered a keynote address at the Third Annual Cyber Policy Awards gala.

The third annual gathering of the cyber policy community recognizes and celebrates those who drove significant progress in 2025

WASHINGTON, DC, UNITED STATES, February 6, 2026 /EINPresswire.com/ -- At the Third Annual Cyber Policy Awards™ gala last night, seven individuals and organizations were awarded the Atlas trophy for outstanding contributions to cyber policy. These prestigious awards honor those in the cyber policy community whose work has defined the cybersecurity landscape in 2025 through public policy, diplomacy, research, and journalism.

Hosted by the Institute for Security and Technology (IST) at the National Press Club in Washington, DC, the annual event brought together over 250 leaders from across the public sector, industry, academia, and civil society. Winners were selected by an independent panel of judges, following an open nomination period.

Congratulations to the following individuals and organizations:

U.S. Domestic Policy Impact: Michael Geraghty for transformation of New Jersey’s cybersecurity posture, delivering measurable economic and security impact.

International Policy Impact: Rear Admiral (Ret.) Mark Montgomery for cyber leadership in practice, from Ukraine’s frontlines to the Indo-Pacific.

International Partnership: The Cyber Defense Assistance Collaborative for creative scaling of private sector assistance to Ukraine.

Research Impact: Cheri Caddy, Ginger Wright, Benjamin R. Lampe, Andrew Ginter, and Andrew Ohrt for advancing cybersecurity for physical systems through Cyber-Informed Engineering.

Excellence in Journalism: Brian Krebs (Krebs on Security) for significant contributions to the strategic and tactical understanding of cyber criminality.

Ecosystem Champion: Philip Reitinger for championing the cybersecurity nonprofits ecosystem.

Lifetime Achievement: David Koh of the Cyber Security Agency of Singapore for championing honest and productive dialogue in the international cybersecurity community; leading the charge to uphold a rules-based international order and responsible state behavior in cyberspace; and fundamentally advancing the global conversation on cyber policy over the course of his career.

Senator Gary Peters, ranking member of the Senate Homeland Security and Governmental Affairs Committee, delivered a keynote address reflecting on his time in Congress and urging members of the community gathered in the audience to provide guidance and support for legislative and policy solutions to address cyber challenges. He was honored with the Congressional Cyber Leadership Award for his service to the nation and leadership on cyber issues.

During the event, Assistant Secretary of War for Cyber Policy and Principal Cyber Advisor to the Secretary of War Katherine Sutton joined Microsoft Corporate Vice President and Deputy General Counsel Amy Hogan-Burney for a fireside chat. Speaking to the NextGen balconies–filled with young professionals and students from across the cyber policy community–the two reflected on lessons learned and looked to the next generation of cyber policy leadership.

“We are grateful for this opportunity to come together as a community and celebrate our successes, while looking forward to how we might work together in the future,” said organizing committee chairman and IST Chief Trust Officer Steve Kelly. “The seven award recipients and their work have helped us build towards a more secure future for all of us.”

For additional information on the Cyber Policy Awards or to learn more about this year's recipients, please go to www.cyberpolicyawards.org.

About the Institute for Security and Technology

Technology has the potential to unlock greater knowledge, enhance our collective capabilities, and create new opportunities for growth and innovation. However, insecure, negligent, or exploitative technological advancements can threaten global security and stability. Anticipating these issues and guiding the development of trustworthy technology is essential to preserve what we all value.

The Institute for Security and Technology (IST), the 501(c)(3) critical action think tank, stands at the forefront of this imperative, uniting policymakers, technology experts, and industry leaders to identify and translate discourse into impact. We take collaborative action to advance national security and global stability through technology built on trust, guiding businesses and governments with hands-on expertise, in-depth analysis, and a global network. Learn more at www.securityandtechnology.org.

Sophia Mauro
Institute for Security and Technology
sophia@securityandtechnology.org

Legal Disclaimer:

EIN Presswire provides this news content "as is" without warranty of any kind. We do not accept any responsibility or liability for the accuracy, content, images, videos, licenses, completeness, legality, or reliability of the information contained in this article. If you have any complaints or copyright issues related to this article, kindly contact the author above.