How did intelligence reports inform decisionmaking about information threats at the National Security Council, and how did government leaders use that analysis to inform the public? Caitlin Durkovich, who served in the Obama and Biden administrations, joins DISARMED to answer these questions and what the country loses when intelligence is politicized. We also speak to Michael Moore, Chief Information Security Officer for the Arizona Secretary of State, about how he secures his state’s elections, how he keeps poll workers and polling sites safe, and how that work has changed over time.
Want to help make this podcast a success? We can’t do it without your help! Share DISARMED with a friend, become a paid subscriber to The Wayfinder, buy us a coffee, leave a review on your favorite podcast app (Spotify, Apple), and like or comment here on Substack or YouTube to show it to more people!
Catch up with previous episodes of DISARMED:
Episode 104: The People Who Sound the Alarm | Show Notes
Caitlin Durkovich is a national security leader with nearly three decades of experience shaping policy and strategy across of critical infrastructure protection, cybersecurity, and domestic preparedness.
Caitlin is co-founder of Civira Partners, where she advises C-suite executives and state and local leaders on strategic risk management and organizational resilience. Her deep understanding of federal security and preparedness programs has proven essential as organizations navigate a rapidly shifting threat and policy environment. She also serves as a Senior Fellow at the Brennan Center for Justice, focused on election security, artificial intelligence, and the integrity of the democratic information ecosystem.
From 2021 to 2025, Caitlin served as Deputy Assistant to the President and Deputy Homeland Security Advisor for Resilience and Response on the National Security Council (NSC), where she led the advancement of national policies and programs to enhance the security and resilience of the United States and its critical infrastructure in against a changing climate, increasing hybrid threats, and foreign malign influence. Prior to the NSC, she was a Director at Toffler Associates, where she advised public and private sector leaders on foresight and strategic risk.
Earlier, Caitlin served as Assistant Secretary for Infrastructure Protection at the Department of Homeland Security, overseeing national efforts to reduce physical and cyber risks to critical infrastructure. Her career also includes advising clients on business resilience and continuity at Booz Allen Hamilton and helping pioneer early cyber threat intelligence at iDefense.
Caitlin holds a B.A. in Public Policy Studies from Duke University’s Terry Sanford Institute of Public Policy.
Michael Moore, the Chief Information Security Officer at the Arizona Secretary of State’s Office, leads efforts to strengthen election security through coordinated partnerships across federal, state, and local governments, alongside trusted private-sector partners. His work is grounded in protecting democratic processes and maintaining public confidence in elections.
He focuses on the most pressing risks to election integrity: mis-, dis-, and malinformation (MDM), and the insider threats that can emerge from an increasingly polarized and misinformed environment. His approach centers on countering false narratives with verifiable truth while advancing a defense-in-depth strategy. This includes preventing attacks wherever possible, rapidly detecting anomalies, and ensuring resilient, transparent recovery when incidents occur.
Through organizational leadership and national collaboration, Michael has driven initiatives that enhance the security, resilience, and credibility of election systems. His work helps safeguard the voter experience and uphold trust in democratic institutions.
DISARMED is hosted by Nina Jankowicz and produced by Emily Malina. Our theme song is by Steve Lakawicz. Thanks to our facility manager, production, and post production crew who dedicated their time and energy to this project, as well as the anonymous donor whose generosity took it to the next level. DISARMED wouldn’t have been possible without all of them!
