Download Damon Becknel is the Director, Information Security Programs for

Damon Becknel is the Director, Information Security Programs for Horizon
Blue Cross Blue Shield of New Jersey (Horizon BCBSNJ). Prior to joining
Horizon BCBSNJ in 2015, Mr. Becknel spent more than 20 years of active
service in the United States Army. While serving his country, he worked in
various positions of significant responsibility; leading people and designing,
building, maintaining and defending computer systems and networks. Career
highlights for Mr. Becknel include leading all efforts to maintain and defend all
U.S. Military networks in Southwest Asia in support of Operation Enduring Freedom and
Operation Iraqi Freedom, directing all operations for the National Security Agency’s Hunt
Division, creating and leading one of the first offensive cyber operations team for the United
States Army, leading the Nation’s first military counter-cyber operations team to final operating
capability and serving as an Assistant Professor of Computer Science for the United States
Military Academy (USMA) in West Point, New York.
Damon graduated from the USMA in West Point, New York where he earned his Bachelor of
Science in Computer Engineering and commission as an officer in the United States Army Signal
Corps. Mr. Becknel also earned his Master of Science in Electrical and Computer Engineering
from Carnegie Mellon University in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, where he also interned and
conducted research with the Software Engineering Institute’s (SEI) Computer Emergency
Response Team (CERT). He maintains the following designations: Certified Information Systems
Security Professional (CISSP), GIAC Advanced Penetration Testing (GXPN), GIAC Certified
Forensic Analyst (GCFA), and GIAC Certified Incident Handler (GCIH).