September 29, 2026
Washington, D.C. (September 29, 2026) – USTelecom – The Broadband Association today convened its 2026 Cybersecurity Leadership Summit, bringing together government and industry leaders to discuss how the United States can stay ahead of evolving cyber threats in an increasingly AI-driven landscape and strengthen the security and resilience of the nation’s critical communications networks.
White House National Cyber Director Sean Cairncross joined USTelecom President and CEO Jonathan Spalter for a conversation on the administration’s cybersecurity priorities, including efforts to disrupt malicious actors, strengthen public-private collaboration, and ensure companies have the tools and flexibility to help defend critical infrastructure. Director Cairncross also reinforced the importance of the reauthorization of the cyber threat information sharing law CISA 2015.
“This isn’t something that the U.S. government is capable of doing completely on its own. We need each other to be able to defend our systems and the American people,” said Director Cairncross. “The speed at which technology is moving makes it critical that the structure around these issues is adaptable and flexible, so innovation isn’t stopped and we’re able to deploy quickly and secure our systems.”
Jonathan Spalter and Sean Cairncross
“America’s connectivity providers are the front lines of our nation’s cyber defenses,” said Spalter. “Staying ahead of increasingly sophisticated adversaries requires government and industry to work together more closely than ever before, share information quickly, and make sure our defenders can focus their resources where they matter most.”
The Summit also featured senior technology and cybersecurity leaders Rich Baich of AT&T, Mark Clancy of T-Mobile, Jim Fowler of Lumen, and Jason Lish of Verizon for a discussion on strengthening collective cyber defenses through trusted information sharing and regular coordination among industry and government, deploying new technologies, and building the cyber workforce.
(L-R): Jonathan Spalter, T-Mobile’s Mark Clancy, AT&T’s Rich Baich, Lumen’s Jim Fowler, Verizon’s Jason Lish
Watch the recording of the 2026 USTelecom Cybersecurity Leadership Summit here.