Trending issues in cyberspace: Building security for individuals and organizations

Jan leads Fair Winds Consulting, LLC, providing project-based consulting and speaking services in the areas of cyberspace, education, leadership, and diversity.  Previously she served as chancellor of the College of Information and Cyberspace at National Defense University after having retired from the U.S. Navy in the fall of 2012 at the rank of Rear Admiral (Upper Half). 

RADM Hamby’s military career focused on the employment of telecommunications, space and computer systems to make information available for command and control of the Force and to enhance decision making at all levels of the chain of command.   Her service included two command tours at a regional telecommunications and networking site in the southeast United States and of a major information hub in Italy supporting military communications from Iceland to Iraq.  Her Washington, DC service included providing analytic support to the Chief of Naval Operations to validate and justify Navy investments in space, cyber and information programs.  She was the senior leader of the U.S. Navy Information Professional Officer Corps and is credited with developing its mentorship program and directing implementation of its professional qualification program that subsequently became the model for qualifications across the Information Warfare community.

During a one-year assignment in Baghdad, Iraq, Jan played a key role in untangling information disconnects and made substantive contributions to the Coalition Force’s second campaign plan.  As a flag officer she directed the global operations of the Navy’s offensive and defensive cyber forces, served as the director of the North American Aerospace Defense/U.S. Northern Command telecommunications and computer networking efforts, served as Vice Director for Command, Control and Computer Systems on the Joint Staff and was Deputy Chief Information Officer for the Department of Defense’s operational telecommunications and computer networks and cyber technology infrastructure. 

Highly decorated, Rear Admiral (Retired) Hamby’s highest military award is the Defense Distinguished Service Medal.  She holds a Doctor of Management degree and master’s degrees in the Management of Information Systems, Business Administration and National Security and Strategic Studies.  Her doctoral research focused on mitigating the impact of toxic leadership at all levels of the organization.

She is married to Dale Hamby, proud mother of two grown children and helps run Fair Winds Farm, the family sheep, alpaca, and lavender farm in Lancaster County, Pennsylvania, and is an active knitwear designer and member of the fiber arts community.