Dr. Justin Ubert

Director, Cyber Protection

U.S. Department of Transportation (DOT)

Dr. Justin Ubert is a multidisciplinary leader specializing in cybersecurity and IT operations, with
over 20 years of experience spanning federal, academic, and military service. He currently serves
as the Director of the Cyber Protection Division within the Office of the CISO at the U.S.
Department of Transportation (DOT). In this role, he leads enterprise-wide programs
encompassing Zero Trust, Security Architecture and Engineering, and the deployment of
advanced cybersecurity tools. Prior to this departmental role, he served as the Chief of
Cybersecurity & Operations for the DOT’s Federal Transit Administration (FTA), where he
oversaw the infrastructure and privacy programs for over 1,000 personnel and thousands of
external users.
Dr. Ubert is recognized for driving transformative modernization—from implementing
DevSecOps and cloud migration to adopting Zero Trust and TIC 3.0 architectures. He is a
prominent advocate for “Data Dominance,” a strategy that shifts the focus from mere
compliance to leveraging data as a proactive security advantage. He has specifically championed
the implementation of OMB M-21-31 requirements to move beyond reactive logging toward
high-fidelity investigative and remediation capabilities. He has also led initiatives for emerging
technologies such as AI and robotic process automation (RPA), advocating for the fast adoption
of these technologies through upskilling and technical literacy to increase operational agility and
better mission outcomes.
Beyond government service, Dr. Ubert is an Adjunct Professor at Marymount University,
teaching graduate and undergraduate courses in information technology, corporate
cybersecurity, and research methodologies. Dr. Ubert also serves as the Government Programs
Chair for the ACT-IAC Cybersecurity Community of Interest and is a Governing Body Member
of the Gartner CISO Community (DC Chapter). He holds a Doctor of Science and Master’s in
Cybersecurity from Marymount University, a dual Bachelor’s in Cybersecurity and Psychology,
and industry certifications including CISSP and CISA.

A decorated U.S. Army veteran who led combat medical teams across three tours in Iraq, Dr.
Ubert brings a mission-first mindset to the digital battlefield. His career is marked by a passion
for breaking down organizational silos and partnering with executives and business owners to
drive holistic outcomes. His leadership has earned him multiple FORUM IT100 and the DOT
Secretary’s “Partnering for Excellence” Awards, the CIGIE IT Award for Excellence, and a
recent nomination for the FedScoop50 Award for Federal Leadership.

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