Homeland Security & Cybersecurity

Governors play a critical role in homeland security and are responsible for protecting people, property, and businesses within their respective states and territories. Governors are confronted with a range of events—from natural and man-made disasters, disease outbreaks, acts of terrorism, along with the significant and continued growth of cyber-attacks against the United States.

To support Governors’ priorities, the Homeland Security & Cybersecurity Program provides technical assistance to Governors and their staffs on a range of national security policy issues, including cybersecurity policies and practices, targeted violence and terrorism prevention, energy assurance, public health emergency preparedness, and emergency management, including disaster response, recovery and resilience.

The Governor’s Guide To Public Health Preparedness

This guide serves as a primer on public health preparedness, detailing current strategies, available resources and existing partnerships that may help policymakers bridge the gap between the disciplines of public safety and public health. By doing so, governors can develop a stronger cooperative network for emergency response and provide their states with a safe and healthy future.


Governor’s Roadmap to Preventing Targeted Violence

This roadmap distills the latest research and draws from elements of public-health interventions to provide guidance to governors, state and local leaders, and other stakeholders on how to prevent ideologically inspired violence—whether political, gender-based, or religious. By taking a multidisciplinary, collaborative approach to preventing such violence, states can build safer and more resilient communities.


Governor’s Guide To Homeland Security

This guide covers fundamentals in homeland security best practices ranging from emergency management, fusion centers, grant management, the national guard, emergency declarations, critical infrastructure and other areas of homeland security that a governor and their policy staff would need awareness on.

Focus Areas

  • Critical Infrastructure Protection
  • Cybersecurity
  • Disaster Response, Recovery and Resilience
  • Emergency Preparedness
  • Energy Security
  • Homeland Security
  • Nation-State Threats
  • National Guard
  • Preventing Targeted Violence
  • Public Health Emergency Preparedness
  • School Safety  

Meet the Team

  • Jessica Davenport, Program Director
  • Phil Nichols, Senior Policy Analyst
  • Michelle Blakeslee, Policy Analyst
  • Aisley Wallace Harper, Policy Coordinator

Contact the Team

  • Governors Homeland Security Advisors Council

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  • Resource Center for State Cybersecurity

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  • Technical Assistance

    We provide complimentary consultation to states as they design and implement new programs and policies.

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  • Public Safety & Legal Counsels Program

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  • Defense/National Guard Resources

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  • Resilience Resources

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NGA Resources

NGA to Partner with 7 States on Enhanced Cybersecurity Strategies

Arkansas, Guam, Louisiana, Maryland, Massachusetts, Ohio and Washington to Focus on Collaborative Cybersecurity Strategies As states and entities within their borders face a growing threat of cyberattacks, the National Governors ...

Public Health Preparedness and Response Workshop for State and Territorial Gubernatorial and Legislative Leaders

Phoenix | June 25-26, 2019 From June 25-26, NGA welcomed teams from Minnesota, Mississippi, Pennsylvania, Washington and the Commonwealth of the Northern Mariana Islands to this year's Public Health Preparedness ...

Smart & Safe: State Strategies for Enhancing Cybersecurity in the Electric Sector

This paper recommends seven actions for governors to consider in order to protect electricity infrastructure and personally identifiable information. (Download) Cyber-attacks have grown rapidly in the last few years and ...
Smart & Safe: State Strategies for Enhancing Cybersecurity in the Electric Sector

Smart & Safe: State Strategies for Enhancing Cybersecurity in the Electric Sector

Cybersecurity threats have increased in the last few years and the electric sector has become a prime target for those attacks. A successful cyberattack on the electric system could lead ...
Cyber Threats are a Collective Danger. States and Industry Must Respond Collectively.

Cyber Threats are a Collective Danger. States and Industry Must Respond Collectively.

By John Bel Edwards, Asa Hutchinson and Thomas Kennedy You are probably reading this on an internet-connected device. If you drive a car, it likely depends on dozens of internal ...

National Summit on State Cybersecurity

Shreveport-Bossier, Louisiana | May 14-15, 2019 The National Governors Association Center for Best Practices hosted the third National Summit on State Cybersecurity in Shreveport, Louisiana. This unique event convened governors’ policy ...
Governor's Guide to Homeland Security (An Update)

Governor’s Guide to Homeland Security (An Update)

The Homeland Security & Public Safety Division has assembled best practices for governors and their homeland security policy staff in A Governor’s Guide to Homeland Security. This guide covers fundamentals ...
NGA Welcomes Council of Governors Appointments

NGA Welcomes Council of Governors Appointments

Panel coordinates across states on homeland security, disaster response and the National Guard The National Governors Association today welcomed the president’s new appointees to the Council of Governors, a body ...
Experts Roundtable on Enhancing Housing Resiliency

Experts Roundtable on Enhancing Housing Resiliency

January 24, 2019 | Washington D.C. The National Governors Association (NGA) Center for Best Practices with the Institute for Building Technology and Safety (IBTS) held an Experts Roundtable on Enhancing ...