Renee Forney

Renee Forney is currently the CEO of the Forney Group LLC, a strategic consulting firm focusing on Enterprise Risk Management, Cyber Threat Intelligence and Cyber Workforce, as well as the Executive Managing Director of Global Cyber Security Management at Equinoxys Inc.

Mrs. Forney previously served as Deputy Chief Information Officer (DCIO) for Cybersecurity and Enterprise Operations, where she was responsible for managing the Department of Energy’s (DOE) Enterprise Cybersecurity Program and IT Infrastructure; advising Departmental senior officials on integrating cybersecurity; risk management; and implementing enterprise information resources management across the DOE. Mrs. Forney provided executive-level guidance for the interagency on cybersecurity initiatives; including the White House’s Cybersecurity National Action Plan, the Defense Industrial Base Sector (for information safeguarding and critical infrastructure protection) and the NICE Interagency Coordinating Council lead by the NIST. Prior to DOE, Mrs. Forney was the Department of Homeland Security’s (DHS) Executive Director for the Cyber Skills Management Support Initiative, where she was responsible for managing cybersecurity-related projects for the Undersecretary of Management. She led a collaborative effort to design an organization to strategically address and manage DHS cybersecurity workforce issues affecting DHS Components execution of cyber mission to include USSS, TSA, CBP, USCG, ICE-HSI and NPPD. In this role, she developed the Cyber Management Support Initiative Push Button, which assists hiring managers and human resource professionals. in accurately defining job descriptions for cyber professionals. In conjunction with the Push Button initiative, her efforts were instrumental in developing legislation and the Federal Cyber Security Workforce Strategy Plan. She also spearheaded the Cyber Student Volunteer Initiative which placed cyber students in DHS field offices and Fusion centers across the country. Mrs. Forney also served as the Branch Chief for the General Services Administration’s (GSA) Business Intelligence Division, where she developed innovative enterprise solutions such as the FAStoday Portal, and led the digital information efforts for the 2008 U.S. Presidential Transition Team. Mrs. Forney also held a variety of information assurance and technology roles in the private sector, including Division Program Manager for Unisys, and Senior Security Analyst for Telos. Notable accomplishments from this time include managing collaboration with the Unisys Director of Enterprise Security Initiatives, United Kingdom, and supporting the development of a security framework model for Unisys Federal.

Mrs. Forney holds a Bachelor of Science from DeVry University and a Master of Science in Engineering Management from George Washington University. She also holds an honorary Doctorate Degree of Science and Technology from Champlain College. She was also named a 2016 Women of Influence by SC Magazine and ACT-IAC Igniting Innovation award winner. She is a Certified Information System Security Professional (CISSP), Shared Assessments Certified Third Party Risk Professional (CTPRP) and has held the Project Management Professional (PMP) certification.