William N. Bryan assumed the role of Under Secretary (Acting) for the Department of Homeland Security (DHS) Science and Technology Directorate on May 30, 2017. As the science and technology advisor to the DHS Secretary, Mr. Bryan leads the research, development, innovation and testing and evaluation activities in support of DHS operational components and first responders across the nation. Prior to joining S&T, Mr. Bryan was the President of ValueBridge International’s Energy Group in Reston, Virginia.
An Army veteran with 17 years of active military service and three years in the Virginia National Guard, Mr. Bryan brings a wealth of experience gained from multiple leadership roles in the U.S. Department of Energy (DOE) and Department of Defense (DoD).
Mr. Bryan served eight years with DOE, most recently as a Senior Advisor in the Office of International Affairs. There, he responded to pressing global energy challenges including energy security, market volatility and hazard/threat impacts. With his primary focus on Ukraine, he led several international delegations to help Ukraine overcome energy challenges, move toward energy independence and mitigate impacts from cyber events.
A former Deputy Assistant Secretary for Infrastructure Security and Energy Restoration in DOE’s Office of Electricity Delivery and Energy Reliability, Mr. Bryan worked with the National Security Council, other U.S. government agencies, private industry and international partners to enhance the security and resilience of the nation’s critical energy infrastructure. He also facilitated the reconstruction and recovery of damaged or disrupted energy systems from a variety of threats and hazards.
Prior to his DOE activities, he served for five years as the Director for Critical Infrastructure Protection (CIP) in DoD’s Office of the Under Secretary of Defense for Policy, where he led all critical infrastructure and Defense Industrial Base (DIB)-related activities. He also advised DoD leadership on the relevance of current CIP and DIB capabilities, methodologies and technologies in support of military and civil homeland defense efforts deemed essential to national security.
Mr. Bryan holds a Master of Science in strategic intelligence from the Joint Military Intelligence College in Washington, D.C. He also graduated Summa Cum Laude with a Bachelor of Science in logistics systems management from Colorado Technical University in Colorado Springs, Colorado.