Elizabeth Vish GFCE Advisory Board member

Elizabeth Vish is senior advisor for international engagement at the Institute for Security and Technology. Elizabeth comes to IST from the Department of State, where she served as a member of the State Department’s cyber foreign policy team. 

Serving most recently in the Bureau of Cyberspace and Digital Policy, Elizabeth developed and implemented policies to strengthen cybersecurity policy globally and to promote a framework of responsible state behavior in cyberspace.  Her portfolio focused on how to build the capacity of partner governments to address cybersecurity threats and threats to international security related to cyberspace.  In this role, she led large-scale interagency coordination on cyber capacity building efforts globally and provided practical support for Embassies and the U.S. interagency on how to approach cyber capacity building efforts. 

She conceived and oversaw the implementation of a first-of-its kind course for policymakers worldwide on the policy and technical aspects of public attribution of cyber incidents, in collaboration with the George C. Marshall Center in Garmisch, Germany.  She also oversaw the first U.S. government foreign assistance programs focused on drafting and implementing national cyber strategies.  During her tenure at State, Elizabeth also served as the lead policymaker for engagement with sub-Saharan Africa on cyber issues.  Her previous portfolios have included leading State Department policy formulation on issues related to cyber effects operations and drafting policy on deterring malicious state-sponsored activities in cyberspace. 

Ms. Vish joined the U.S. government as a Presidential Management Fellow in 2013.  Previous to her federal career, she worked at the National Democratic Institute to support women’s participation in democratic processes and legislative strengthening programs in Southern Africa.  She received a Master’s of Arts in International Relations with honors the Johns Hopkins School of Advanced International Studies, with dual concentrations in International Economics and Southeast Asian Studies.  She lives in Colorado with her husband and two children.