Intelligence Community Gets Election Security-Focused Exec

The Office of the Director of National Intelligence has tapped its first-ever executive focused on election security.  

Shelby Pierson has been named the intelligence community’s principal adviser on threats to elections and matters related to election security, according to a July 19 ODNI announcement. Pierson will also coordinate and integrate election security activities and efforts across the IC and orchestrate intelligence initiatives to support the rest of the federal government. 

Pierson served as the DNI’s crisis manager for election security during the 2018 midterm elections and has over 20 years of experience in the IC. 

In addition to the Pierson’s appointment, DNI Dan Coats directed all IC agencies involved with election security to tap a single, senior-executive lead for election security. He also announced the creation of the IC’s Election Executive and Leadership Board, which will facilitate IC-wide coordination and focus on election threats.