With 25 years of experience driving secure mission transformation, Mark Valcich has spent his career helping government agencies modernize technology while defending against evolving threats.
In November, he brought that expertise — and his passion for serving the public sector — to Palo Alto Networks as district director for the departments of Homeland Security, Justice and State, and the legislative and judicial branches.
“After two decades of working with these government departments and agencies, it’s an honor to now focus exclusively on cybersecurity,” Valcich told WashingtonExec. “I’m passionate about partnering with these vital organizations to help them meet their mission needs without compromise.”
This move follows his time at Intel Corp., where he led the civilian business and partnered with government agencies on device, hybrid cloud and operational technology solutions with a strong focus on hardware security.
Now, after two decades working alongside the very missions he supports at Palo Alto, Valcich is focused on helping federal partners use cutting-edge cybersecurity to strengthen defenses and outmaneuver adversaries.
Below, Valcich shares more about his path to cybersecurity, his current priorities helping agencies harness innovative technologies to better understand today’s threat landscape, the importance of mentorship and networking in GovCon and more.
Why was this the path you chose, and how influential was it to your career?
Over the past couple of decades, my career has been centered on modernizing technology with innovative technology architecture solutions, and also working with the NIST Cybersecurity Division to advance silicon-based FIPS-validated trust modules and trusted cloud architectures that drew me into the world of cybersecurity. I was also drawn to the opportunity to partner with these agencies on digital transformation initiatives that deliver real-world impact, such as automating agricultural inspections at the border to ensure fresher produce that lasts longer on the store shelf and on the shelf at home.
After a summer sabbatical in Europe and celebrating my son’s marriage, I reflected on how I could make a greater impact. Ultimately, I decided to transition to a full-time focus on cybersecurity, driven by the compelling and strategic need for faster modernization and its critical national and industrial security implications.
What are your current top priorities and responsibilities? How do these relate to your company’s overall mission/growth strategy?
As the world transforms with several converging innovations including artificial intelligence, cloud computing and post quantum cryptography, there is a need to harness this and use it and defend against it within the federal government and with the mission focus areas that I have the pleasure to serve. We don’t want to look back on this several years or decades from now and regret not fully understanding, evaluating and putting to work the new capabilities that the AI and post quantum revolution is bringing to bear, especially with cybersecurity. That is why I am focused on educating the government through market research, briefings and program collaboration to make the government aware of capabilities that Palo Alto Networks is quickly innovating and transforming in the cybersecurity domain.
This includes: PQC network security with next generation firewalls; SASE and secure browsers; the vastly expanding Gartner’s Magic Quadrant capability across cloud security; Security Operations Center automation tool sets with AI posture management; runtime security; AI cloud-delivered security services to optimize legacy toolsets; next generation attack surface management capabilities; incident response services; and incident prevention assessments.
The convergence of innovations such as AI, cloud computing and post-quantum cryptography presents both immense opportunities and significant risks. It is my mission to help the federal government harness and defend against these technologies. We cannot afford to look back and regret not fully understanding and implementing the new capabilities these revolutions bring to cybersecurity.
My focus is on leading a team to educate government partners through market research, briefings, cybersecurity technology evaluation and successful deployment of cyber capabilities. This is where Palo Alto Networks excels, rapidly innovating across the cybersecurity domain. Top capabilities include:
- Post-Quantum Cryptography Network Security: Palo Alto Networks recently announced new quantum security innovations, which provide a new cryptography inventory tool, quantum-optimized firewalls and the next generation Palo Alto Networks 12.1 operating system enabling quantum readiness. Taking advantage of this today provides quantum and multi cloud security enabling an enterprise architecture that is future proofed against post quantum cryptography.
- Comprehensive Hybrid Multicloud Security and Attack Surface Management: Delivering solutions that are consistently recognized in the Gartner Magic Quadrant for capabilities like cloud security posture management, SOC automation, AI-driven protection and protecting the AI running the mission. In addition, providing real time runtime security, and using AI-powered services and tools that automate the CI/CD pipeline and build in security. This can be done across multiple cloud service providers and with an on-premise cloud architecture environment.
Where do you and your team see growth opportunities in your current field or portfolio you support, or what do you anticipate to be your customers’ top pain points?
As previously stated, the advancements in AI, cloud computing, and post-quantum cryptography present significant growth opportunities. However, these same technologies also introduce considerable risk, as adversaries are often quick to leverage them for their own purposes.
How are you and your team planning to address/prepare for these opportunities?
Palo Alto Networks is actively supporting the administration’s post-quantum cybersecurity guidelines. Our industry-leading toolsets — recognized in Gartner’s Magic Quadrant — are designed to optimize cybersecurity maturity. They provide an intuitive interface that allows organizations to visualize their entire security landscape, prioritize immediate threats, and automatically remediate routine attacks based on the MITRE ATT&CK framework.
How important is mentorship & networking in GovCon? Were they influential to your career?
Partnering with GovCon groups is a crucial step in my work. It allows me to engage in networking and mentorship, particularly with the next generation of cybersecurity professionals. Organizations like WashingtonExec provide a platform for me to connect with government and industry leaders to share market insights and educate one another. This collaboration is essential for shaping industry strategies that bring the best of Silicon Valley cybersecurity innovation to the government, helping agencies enable their missions without compromise. In addition to these external partnerships, I also prioritize mentoring the seven members of my team and mentoring the next generation in professional development programs.
What is something most people don’t know about you?
As I’ve mentioned, I enjoy international travel for a few key reasons. While it’s an excellent way to rest and recharge, it also offers a unique opportunity to experience different cultures and while traveling, I get to experience federal mission services firsthand — from customs and transportation security to passport services. This routine activity provides valuable context easily incorporated to strengthen my understanding of the missions I am committed to supporting and partnering with.