CDCA 2025 Eastern Defense

Rob Lyman

USAF (Ret.)


Rob Lyman is a retired Brigadier General of the U.S. Air Force, with almost three decades of experience in cyberspace operations, logistics, space and special operations. He retired from active duty as the Assistant Deputy Chief of Staff for Cyber Effects Operations on the Headquarters Air Force staff at the Pentagon, where he was responsible for the development of over 36,000 cyber professionals. Since retiring from active duty he has advised clients on strategic risk, growth strategies, product effectiveness, and executive leadership. He has extensive experience developing organizational strategy, funding large projects, managing union relationships, leading digital transformations, integrating emerging technologies, mitigating cybersecurity and other strategic risks, and managing diverse talent. Rob previously served as the Chief Information Officer at United States Transportation Command, Joint Special Operations Command, Air Mobility Command, and the Air Force Life Cycle Management Center. In those roles he led digital transformations moving applications to the cloud, setting conditions for use of artificial intelligence and machine learning, and mitigating cybersecurity threats from strategic competitors. As the Commander of Joint Base Charleston he led thousands of service members leveraging a $7.8B infrastructure to support the U.S. Army’s busiest port shipping 48% of Department of Defense surface exports, and the U.S. Air Force’s busiest airfield operations of over 16,000 annual flights. He directed the evacuation of 23,000 base personnel, plus their families, during Hurricane Matthew as well as the recovery after the storm. He served in command at multiple levels and in numerous key positions at the Pentagon, Combatant Commands, and Air Force staffs. He is widely respected as an inspirational and transformational leader. As a senior cyber and national security executive he led teams that twice won the National Security Agency Rowlett Award as the best cybersecurity organization in Federal Government. He is a Federal 100 award winner, and a ComputerWorld Premier 100 award winner. He has been recognized for continued leadership by the Association of Defense Communities, Armed Forces Communications & Electronics Association, the Signal Corps Regimental Association, and the Military Cyber Professionals Association. Rob was selected from a national applicant pool as a White House Fellow, where he served as a Senior Advisor in the Department of Transportation. He earned a Bachelor degree in Electrical Engineering from Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute and a Masters degree in Organizational Management from George Washington University. He holds a Certificate in Legislative Studies from the Government Affairs Institute at Georgetown University. He is a graduate of the U.S. Army Command & General Staff College, Air Force Air Command & Staff College, Air War College, and the Joint Forces Staff College. His executive education includes professional development programs at the Harvard Kennedy School, University of North Carolina, the Center for Creative Leadership, and National Association of Corporate Directors. He resides in the Oklahoma City metro with his wife and two daughters.

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