Dave Halla is the Senior Program Manager / Cybersecurity Researcher, Battellea. Mr. Halla was previously a Senior Professional at The Johns Hopkins University Applied Physics Laboratory’s (JHU/APL), Critical Infrastructure Protection Group, specializing in the protection of cyber-physical systems, while still supporting Enterprise Security efforts for U.S. Government sponsors. He joined the Virginia Cyber Security Partnership in 2015. Dave has over 30 years’ proven experience in Information Technology and retired from the U.S. Air Force in 2015 after 32 ½ years in uniform.
Prior to his work at JHU/APL, Dave was the Chief of Operations at the Electricity Information Sharing and Analysis Center, building their Security Operations Center from the ground up to provide cyber and physical threat information to the 4500 entities that generate, transmit and distribute electricity throughout North America. From 2012-2015, Dave planned and executed offensive and defensive cyber exercises for U.S. Cyber Command, to include the Whole of Nation response exercise CYBER GUARD, which incorporated over 1500 personnel from DHS, FBI, DoD, States, and private industry partners on keyboard conducting cyber defensive operations against adversary attacks.
Dave received a Bachelor of Science in Psychology & Middle East History from the U.S. Air Force Academy, a Master of Science in Human and Performance Technology from Boise State University, and a Master of Business Administration, Strategic Leadership, from Western Governors University.