Dr. Russo is currently the Senior Information Security Engineer within the Department of Defense’s (DOD) F-35 Joint Strike Fighter program.  He has an extensive background in Cybersecurity and is an expert in the Risk Management Framework (RMF) and DOD Instruction 8510, which implement RMF throughout the DOD and federal government.  He holds a Certified Information Systems Security Professional (CISSP) certification and a CISSP in information security architecture (ISSAP).  He has a 2017 Chief Information Security Officer (CISO) certification from the National Defense University, Washington, DC.  He retired from the US Army Reserves in 2012 as the Senior Intelligence Officer.   

He is the former CISO at the Department of Education.  In 2016, he led the effort to close over 95% of the outstanding US Congressional and Inspector General cybersecurity shortfall weaknesses spanning as far back as five years.   

   In 2011, Dr. Russo was certified by the Office of Personnel Management as a Senior Executive Service Candidate program graduate.       

From 2009 through 2011, Dr. Russo was the Chief Technology Officer of the Small Business Administration (SBA).  He led a team of over 100 IT professionals in supporting an intercontinental Enterprise IT infrastructure and security operations spanning 12 time zones; he deployed cutting-edge technologies to enhance SBA’s business and information-sharing operations supporting the small business community.       Dr. Russo was the first-ever Program Executive Officer (PEO)/Senior Program Manager in the Office of Intelligence & Analysis at Headquarters, Department of Homeland Security (DHS), Washington, DC.  Dr. Russo was responsible for developing and deploying secure Information and Intelligence support systems for OI&A, including software applications and systems to enhance the DHS mission.  During his tenure at DHS, he was responsible for the program management development lifecycle.    

He holds a Master of Science from the National Defense University in Government Information Leadership with a concentration in Cybersecurity and a Bachelor of Arts in Political Science with a minor in Russian Studies from Lehigh University.  He holds Level III Defense Acquisition certification in Program Management, Information Technology, and Systems Engineering.  He has been a member of the DOD Acquisition Corps since 2001.