The FBI has selected Brett Leatherman to become its next assistant director and head of the bureau’s Cyber Division.
Leatherman is taking over the position after Bryan Vorndran, who led the Cyber Division from 2021 to last month, announced he was departing the Federal government to take up new work at Microsoft.
Leatherman brings plenty of experience to the new post including 22 years at the bureau, and most recently serving a stint as the deputy assistant director for cyber operations.
“FBI Cyber sits at the intersection of law enforcement, intelligence, and national defense –uniquely positioned to impose cost on our cyber adversaries while supporting victims of cyber crime,” wrote Leatherman in a LinkedIn post on Sunday announcing that FBI Director Kash Patel had promoted him to head the division.
“This work demands urgency, innovation, and close partnerships across government, industry, and international alliances,” Leatherman said.
“Our charge is simple but not easy: make malicious cyber activity unsustainable,” he continued. “That means disrupting criminal and nation-state actors, sharing intelligence that helps victims defend and recover, and shaping the broader operating environment through persistent engagement.”
During his years at the bureau, Leatherman’s work has included management-related roles for the FBI’s Cyber Division Outreach personnel, assistant special agent in charge, and section chief, according to his LinkedIn.
He also both assisted and led efforts to crack down on cybercrime, respond to ransomware incidents, and conduct other cyber-related investigations – such as those related to Salt Typhoon and Volt Typhoon.
As Leatherman moves up in division leadership, Cynthia Kaiser, who served as the Cyber Division deputy assistant director, announced her departure last week for ransomware software company Halcyon.