Current Debate Speaker: Matthew G. Olsen

Matthew G. Olsen

• Co-Founder IronNet Cybersecurity
• Former Director National Counterterrorism Center

Matt Olsen has worked for over two decades as a leading government official on national security, intelligence and law enforcement issues.  He is the co-founder and president of IronNet Cybersecurity, a technology firm based in Washington, D.C.

Most recently, Olsen served for three years as the Director of the National Counterterrorism Center. Created by Congress in response to the attacks of September 11, NCTC is responsible for the integration and analysis of terrorism information and strategic operational planning of counterterrorism activities. Prior to joining NCTC, Olsen was the General Counsel for the National Security Agency, serving as NSA’s chief legal officer and focusing on surveillance law and cyber operations.  Olsen also served in leadership positions at the Department of Justice, where he managed national security and criminal cases and helped establish the National Security Division.  Olsen also was Special Counsel to the Director of the Federal Bureau of Investigation. For over a decade, Olsen worked as a federal prosecutor.  He began his public service career as a trial attorney in the Justice Department’s Civil Rights Division.

In addition to his work with IronNet Cybersecurity, Olsen teaches at Harvard Law School and is a national security analyst for ABC News.  He is an adjunct senior fellow at the Center for a New American Security and serves on the board of Human Rights First and several government advisory boards.  He also is affiliated with the Berkman Klein Center at Harvard, where he helps lead a project on cybersecurity.

Olsen graduated from Harvard Law School and the University of Virginia.