Leonard Moss
Chief Security Officer & Insider Threat Program Senior Official & Security Services Department Head, Johns Hopkins Applied Physics Laboratory
APL’s biggest recent achievement was bringing together hundreds of the nation’s key leaders and officials from the National Security Agency, Central Intelligence Agency, National Reconnaissance Office, Defense Intelligence Agency, National Geospatial-Intelligence Agency, Federal Bureau of Investigation, Office of the Director of National Intelligence, DOD, DOS and industry leaders, at the largest Industrial Security Working Group summit to date, Leonard Moss said. The summit enabled critical conversations around the emergence of new threats, the rise of generative AI, and partnering to implement innovative and cost-effective solutions to protect national security.
“Our organization has always looked for opportunities to deliver for our partners as quickly as possible, while keeping our cost to deliver low,” he said. “One area we have focused on this year in particular has been to determine how we can leverage AI in our processes to make us even more efficient – ensuring the Lab’s world-class experts have the facilities and systems they need to create game-changing solutions to the nation’s most critical challenges.”
Why Watch
Moss and his team focused on keeping more than 400 Sensitive Compartmented Information Facilities and Special Access Program Facilities compliant with evolving requirements and ready to support the Laboratory’s mission. The facilities are critical for securely handling highly classified information.
The team also advanced TEMPEST and ICD 705 mitigations and completed Plans of Action and Milestones for all relevant facilities. In addition, they explored how generative AI can improve efficiency in processes.
Moss continues to prioritize talent, hiring top performers and keeping them engaged through stronger team communication, leadership development resources and a recognition program.
“I’m proud to say that we truly have a culture of security at APL,” Moss said. “We have built a strong leadership team within our department, continued developing resources to grow our future leaders, and taken the time to recognize our staff for their dedication and performance. And we have done all of that while being responsible for the largest classified footprint in the University Affiliated Research Center community, and processing thousands of clearances each year. The last five years have flown by, but I can’t wait to see what we’ll accomplish together in the next five.”
Fun fact: In his spare time, Moss chairs the Industrial Security Working Group board of directors, serves on the ASIS International North American board and pursues his passion for music. A former independent recording artist, he has seen renewed interest in his earlier work, which earned him membership in the National Academy of Recording Arts and Sciences and multiple invitations to the Grammy Awards. He hopes to one day win a Grammy himself.