Francesca Spidalieri is a Program Advisior for the Global Conference on Cyber Capacity Building (GC3B). She is also as International Affairs Specialist and cybersecurity policy expert at the U.S. Cybersecurity and Infrastructure Security Agency (CISA). Prior to joining CISA, Francesca spent over a decade advising international organizations, major corporations, and academic institutions on digital transformation, emerging cyber threats, innovative and disruptive technology, cyber risk management, cyber capacity building, and other issues at the intersection of technology, security, economics, law, and public policy. Francesca has also consulted numerous international organizations and foundations – among them the World Bank, the International Telecommunication Union (ITU), the Organization of American States (OAS), and the Global Forum on Cyber Expertise (GFCE) – on improving their cybersecurity policies, frameworks, and joint initiatives.

Her work has assisted organizations in integrating cybersecurity concerns into their digital development projects, building cyber capacity in developing countries, strengthening international cooperation on cybersecurity, and shaping the global cybersecurity policy environment. Through advising companies, executives, government officials, and international organizations working toward practical, effective, and sustainable cybersecurity solutions, Francesca has brokered relationships and built consensus among relevant stakeholders in the cybersecurity arena, often bridging the gap between corporate partners, civil society, academia, intergovernmental organizations, and member countries. Francesca started her career in academia at the Pell Center for International Relations and Public Policy, where she spearheaded the Cyber Leadership Project and the Rhode Island Corporate Cybersecurity Initiative. She also designed and taught multidisciplinary courses at Salve Regina University and the University of Maryland’s School of Public Policy. In addition, Francesca served as a senior cybersecurity expert and non-resident fellow in various research institutes around the world, including the Pacific Forum International, the Ponemon Institute, the Potomac Institute for Policy Studies, the Blavatnik Interdisciplinary Cyber Research Center in Israel, the Center for Cyber Security and International Relations Studies at the University of Florence, the EU CyberNet, and the Kosciuszko Institute in Poland. She regularly lectures at cyber-related events in the U.S. and abroad, and she contributes to journal articles and other publications on cybersecurity matters affecting countries and organizations worldwide.