Colorado Springs, CO – April 12, 2023 The National Cybersecurity Center (NCC) announced Wednesday the addition of three new esteemed board members, adding to the diverse and respected leadership of the organization. The NCC welcomed attorney and author Mark D. Rasch; Ray Yepes, CISO, State of Colorado and representative of Colorado Governor Jared Polis to the NCC Board; and Gretchen Bliss, Director of Cybersecurity Programs at University of Colorado Colorado Springs.
“Our leadership has had a remarkable impact as the NCC takes action against cybersecurity threats posed to our nation,” said Harry D. Raduege, Lt. Gen USAF (Ret.), President and CEO of the NCC. “With the latest additions to our board of directors, the NCC mission is further empowered to transform our nation’s ability to detect, protect, and deter threats.”
An expert in cybersecurity and data privacy, Mark D. Rasch is a seasoned cybersecurity professional, attorney, law professor, and policy wonk with over three decades of experience. At the US Department of Justice, he created the cyber-forensics practice and computer crime unit, which investigates and prosecutes high-profile computer hacker cases, such as the Cornell Internet worm and the Boston Craigslist Killer. He advises Fortune 100 companies on international cybersecurity, privacy compliance issues, cloud security, IoT, AI, and machine learning. Mark is also a prolific writer, public speaker, teacher, and media personality, advising top media outlets like CNN, NBC, BBC, CBC, and others on issues related to the use of the Internet.
Ray Yepes is an accomplished Chief Information Security Officer with proven leadership skills in information security and IT privacy, risk, and compliance. He has served as the CISO for the Texas Department of Family and Protective Services and a Fortune 200 company and co-founded a cybersecurity company catering to Fortune 500 clients. Ray holds multiple certifications and degrees, including a Master of Science in criminal justice and a Bachelor of Science in computer science. Apart from his work in the cybersecurity domain, Ray is passionate about volunteering and nature, having co-founded several non-profit organizations.
Gretchen M.S. Bliss is a transformational leader and trusted adviser to C-level executives, with over 25 years of leadership and management experience in matrixed organizations. As Director of Cybersecurity Programs at the University of Colorado Colorado Springs, Gretchen has cultivated and managed cybersecurity partnerships with multiple government agencies, community organizations, and industry leaders, increasing student employment opportunities and led the Center of Academic Excellence (CAE) redesignation for UCCS cybersecurity programs in Engineering and Applied Science. Gretchen is a skilled personnel manager and team builder, with a track record of driving organizational and individual productivity through stakeholder engagement, teamwork, and cross-functional collaboration.
The combined expertise, experience, and passion of these new board members will strengthen NCC’s vision to power the integration of cybersecurity into every facet of society so that interdisciplinary solutions can preempt emerging cyber and space threats.
About the National Cybersecurity Center
The National Cybersecurity Center (NCC) is a non-profit organization established for cyber innovation and awareness. Established in 2016 from the vision of United States Senator from Colorado John Hickenlooper, in coordination with several people from the University of Colorado Colorado Springs (UCCS) and the community, the NCC serves both public and private organizations and individuals through leadership, collaboration, and education. Discover NCC at cyber-center.org.