John Costello, former deputy executive director of the congressionally chartered Cyberspace Solarium Commission (CSC), has assumed the chief of staff role at the Office of the National Cyber Director (NCD), MeriTalk reported Friday.
He works in the office created by the National Defense Authorization Act (NDAA) for Fiscal Year 2021 and led by National Cyber Director Chris Inglis, who is responsible for coordinating policies meant to bolster the security of federal information systems and serves as a point of contact between the White House and Congress on cybersecurity matters.
Costello has served as an adjunct senior fellow at the Center for a New American Security's technology and national security program since February and held a short stint as a senior adviser at Washington, D.C.-based consulting firm WestExec Advisors.
His government experience also includes time as deputy assistant secretary of intelligence and security at the Department of Commerce, director of strategy, policy and plans at the Cybersecurity and Infrastructure Security Agency (CISA), operations officer at the National Security Agency (NSA) and congressional innovation fellow at the House Oversight Committee.
A former enlisted U.S. Navy sailor, Costello also worked as the service branch's cryptologic linguist.