Lili Colon is the Principal Deputy Director (PDD) for CESER, providing leadership across the Office to optimize operations and build capacity, to enable the organization to achieve its mission and realize its vision of a more secure, reliable, and resilient energy sector for the American people.
Colon brings a wealth of expertise to CESER, having most recently served as the Deputy Associate Director for the Integrated Operations Division within the Cybersecurity Infrastructure Security Agency (CISA) at the Department of Homeland Security (DHS). Colon also served as the Chief for Strategic Planning and Resource Management for the Cybersecurity Division within CISA. In this extensive role, she was responsible for advancing and managing cybersecurity strategy, policy, and governance, while concurrently leading the successful execution of a $1.2 billion annual budget to achieve national cybersecurity objectives.
Colon’s portfolio extends beyond CISA and cybersecurity, as she also served as the Deputy Federal Security Director for the Transportation Security Agency (TSA). Overseeing five airports in Florida, including the Orlando International Airport, Colon led a workforce of over 1,700 employees and a budget of $8.9M and was responsible for security and operational activities requiring diverse capabilities. From understanding and mitigating risks from emerging technologies, to developing and maintaining critical public/private partnerships needed to ensure the safety and security of airport operations, Colon leveraged her deeply rooted knowledge of federal budget and acquisition management, cybersecurity and risk mitigation, and stakeholder engagement to successfully accomplish her duties during her tenure.
As Chief of Staff for the Enhanced Shared Situational Awareness - a presidential initiative, Colon led the effort to increase the speed and quality of cyber information sharing through the development of critical partnerships, implementation of communication strategies, and operational and capacity-building best practices.
Colon earned a Master’s degree in Information Security Policy and Management from Carnegie Mellon University and holds a B.S. from Syracuse University in Information Management and Technology. She is also an alum of the Harvard Kennedy School Senior Executive Fellows program, and an adjunct professor at the University of Maryland Global Campus teaching courses in Business Management, Cybersecurity, and Government Policy.
As PDD Colon will prioritize all efforts – both administratively and operationally – required to increase the resilience of our nation’s critical infrastructure and reduce exposure to cyber risks. Her past work, successes, and critical partnerships across the interagency and private sector uniquely position her to foster collective action, build coalitions, and ensure a threat-informed and data-driven approach to securing the U.S. energy sector through the dynamic CESER mission.