By James R. Lint
Faculty Member, School of Business, American Military University
Contributor, In Homeland Security

First in a series on Cybersecurity Professionals

Over the course of his intelligence career, Chris Stevens has patiently worked to improve his cybersecurity expertise and learn from his military and intelligence mentors. He started his U.S. Army career as a 17-year-old Private E-1. Later, he retired as a Master Sergeant with more than 10 years of service in one of the Department of Defense’s Special Mission Units.

After his military career, Chris moved to the federal government career as a GS-13 employee. Benefiting from lessons taught to him by outstanding leaders and mentors, he became a member of the National Senior Intelligence Service in slightly over six years.

Chris earned several graduate and undergraduate degrees and also teaches in higher education. He has a lengthy career as a college professor at the University of Maryland-University College, American Military University and Hagerstown Community College. He also completed numerous training programs and obtained multiple certifications and licenses in these areas:

• Information privacy
• International information privacy
• Intellectual property, including patents, trademarks and copyrights
• Healthcare information privacy and security
• Capability maturity model integration
• Insurance

A Diverse Work History Across Government Organizations

Chris never worried about changing employers or organizations, opting for the challenge of the unknown. He became a “new guy” employee every couple of years, increasing his expertise with each career move. His former employers include the TSA’s Federal Air Marshal Service, the FBI and the Department of Homeland Security (where he became a DHS Senior Fellow) and the Office of the Director of National Intelligence (ODNI).

He became a National Intelligence Service executive at ODNI, serving in multiple intelligence positions. These positions include National Intelligence Collection Officer for Africa, Collection Enterprise Integration Element Chief and an Intelligence Community External Detail.  

Taking His Data Protection Skills to the Corporate World

Chris also worked as a privacy officer for Carpe Diem Strategic Services (CDSS), a Service-Disabled Veteran-Owned Small Business. CDSS develops and implements effective data protection, data loss prevention and information privacy strategies. CDSS also aids its clients in protecting intellectual property and other sensitive business data from data breaches, leakages and losses.

Secrets to Cybersecurity Success

Two of Chris’s favorite adages are “Perseverance is a key to success!” and “Knowledge is more than power; it is also perishable if not constantly replenished with effort.” Chris’s professional life has been guided by these two maxims.

As a former intelligence professional, Chris understands the similarities between protecting the nation’s secrets and the daily efforts of cybersecurity professionals, data protection specialists, and information privacy officers. These people work extensively to protect the sensitive data of their corporations and their customers.

The Fight Against Cyber Criminals

Chris also knows that cyber adversaries and cyber criminals are winning today’s cyber war. Consequently, he became a certified International Association of Privacy Professionals (IAPP) data protection and information privacy professional to assist individuals and organizations in protecting their sensitive data. Chris also specializes in healthcare information privacy and security because the healthcare industry is the one of the more targeted and victimized industries by hackers.

Today, Chris is an IAPP Fellow of Information Privacy and an IAPP Privacy Faculty member. He is also an American Health Information Management Association certified Health Information Privacy and Security professional. Chris’s personal motto is, “Carpe diem today or risk failing to protect your customer’s and your organization’s sensitive data against cyber adversaries and cyber criminals tomorrow!”

About the Author

James R. Lint recently retired as the (GG-15) civilian director for intelligence and security, G2, U.S. Army Communications Electronics Command. He is an adjunct professor at AMU. James has been involved cyberespionage events from just after the turn of the century in Korea supporting 1st Signal Brigade to the DHS Office of Intelligence and Analysis as the first government cyber intelligence analyst. He has 38 years of experience in military intelligence with the U.S. Marine Corps, U.S. Army, government contracting and civil service.

Additionally, James started the Lint Center for National Security Studies, a nonprofit charity that recently awarded the 43th scholarship for national security students and professionals. James was also elected as the 2015 national vice president for the Military Intelligence Corps Association. He has also served in the Department of Energy’s S&S Security Office after his active military career in the Marine Corps for seven years and also served 14 years in the Army. His military assignments include South Korea, Germany and Cuba in addition to numerous CONUS locations. James has authored a book published in 2013, “Leadership and Management Lessons Learned,” and a new book in 2016 “8 Eyes on Korea, A Travel Perspective of Seoul, Korea.”