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Cyber Policy Fellow · Researcher · Educator

Heriberto A.
Acosta-Maestre

Research and teaching on cybersecurity, emerging technologies, and hemispheric security, informed by two decades in information technology.

View presentationsView résumé (PDF)
Portrait of Heriberto A. Acosta-Maestre

San Juan · Puerto Rico

Profile

Cybersecurity, technology & hemispheric security

A researcher and educator examining how cybersecurity, artificial intelligence, and quantum technologies shape security and defense in the Western Hemisphere.

Heriberto is a Cyber Policy Fellow supporting the William J. Perry Center for Hemispheric Defense Studies, employed by Akima, LLC. He develops courses and cyber crisis exercises for civilian and military audiences. His independent engagements include invited presentations on AI governance, cyber defense, and emerging threats.

Cybersecurity and cyber policyAI and emerging technologiesWestern Hemisphere security and defenseSpace security and policyQuantum computing and post-quantum securityAcademic conference leadership
Ph.D.Information Systems
IEEESenior Member
EN / ESFully bilingual

Speaking & presentations

Selected speaking engagements

Invited lectures and professional engagements on cybersecurity, AI governance, and security policy.

August 11-13, 2026

Ciberseguridad e IA: detección de amenazas avanzadas (APT)

Gobernanza de la IA en defensa: marcos legales, éticos y doctrinarios

Jornadas de Inteligencia Artificial aplicada a la Defensa, Seguridad e Inteligencia. Also participated in the closing panel on AI and a post-quantum era.

July 2026

La inteligencia artificial en la defensa del hemisferio: Avances, retos, y oportunidades

June 2026

IA Generativa en la Empresa: Modelos frontera, riesgos y arquitectura segura

Guest lecture for a computer architecture class, addressing enterprise cybersecurity.

May 2026

Defensa Cibernética en el Mundo Real: Casos de éxito y aplicaciones estratégicas

Cybersecurity symposium.

May 2026

Inteligencia Artificial: Nuevos Riesgos en el Entorno Digital

Congreso Jurídico.

May 2026

IA y las amenazas digitales emergentes

Seminarios Permanentes de Derecho Penal e Inteligencia Artificial.

March 2026

Las Amenazas Cibernéticas Hemisféricas y la Ciberdefensa

Reunión de Seguridad Ciudadana, Commission on Hemispheric Security.

March 2026

IA y espacio: implicaciones para la seguridad

Integración de la seguridad cibernética y espacial

Space Strategy and Policy course. Represented the Perry Center and mentored breakout groups.

October 27, 2025

Critical Infrastructure Cybersecurity

Cybersecurity Forum.

Publications & research

Published work & current research

Published · October 2025

Avances en computación cuántica en el Antropoceno: retos y oportunidades para Latinoamérica y el Caribe

Boris Saavedra & Heriberto Acosta

Saavedra, B., & Acosta, H. (2025). Avances en computación cuántica en el Antropoceno: retos y oportunidades para Latinoamérica y el Caribe. Revista Defensa Nacional, (11), 25-46.

Read the journal issue (PDF)

Under review & in progress

Article in development

Cyber-Physical Warfare in Multidomain Operations and Lessons for Western Hemisphere Partners

Article in development for the William J. Perry Center.

Book under review

El hemisferio post-cuántico: una oportunidad para el liderazgo tecnológico estadounidense

Contribution to the UNDEF book project.

Book under review

La gobernanza de la ciberseguridad en el contexto de la convergencia tecnológica: la inteligencia artificial generativa (IAGen), la computación cuántica y el hemisferio occidental

Chapter 5 in Soberanía Digital: Gestión de los Riesgos Cibernéticos Impulsados por la IAG en América Latina y el Caribe. Perry Center book project.

Research in progress

Before Q-Day: Post-Quantum Readiness and the Emerging Cryptographic Divide in the Americas

Article in development for the William J. Perry Center.

Career

Professional experience

Experience in cyber policy, technical program leadership, and information systems.

Dec 2024 - Present

Washington, DC · Employed by Akima, LLC

Cyber Policy Fellow

William J. Perry Center for Hemispheric Defense Studies

  • Serve as Deputy Course Director for the Cyber Fundamentals Course, supporting syllabus development and instructional materials.
  • Develop and deliver cybersecurity and emerging-technology courses for civilian and military audiences across the Americas. Mentor participants and review policy papers.
  • Design and facilitate exercises on critical infrastructure, ransomware, and cyber incidents. Develop and test new tabletop concepts for CYBER-AI.
  • Research cybersecurity, artificial intelligence, and quantum technologies for hemispheric defense, including automation and AI applications in military drone systems.

Oct 2019 - Dec 2024

San Juan, Puerto Rico · Independent contractor

Program Administrator, Distributed Learning Program

Puerto Rico Army National Guard

  • Oversaw technical projects for the PRNG/G6 CIO, managing budgets and schedules while coordinating scope and risk.
  • Led a team managing 92 workstations and 180 laptops supporting approximately 10,000 users.
  • Managed an average operating budget of approximately $300,000 and improved site usage by 106%.
  • Served as Program Information Assurance Security Officer, applying CIS standards and CMMC 2.0 processes while supporting security solutions aligned with zero-trust architecture.

Jun 2019 - Sep 2019

San Juan, Puerto Rico · Independent contractor

IT Project Manager, State Affairs Office

Puerto Rico Army National Guard

  • Gathered and defined stakeholder requirements to support project goals and deliverables in a regulated environment.
  • Oversaw COR3 Disaster Recovery System processes and maintained the FEMA Grants Portal and DRS, including agency disaster-expense and reimbursement data.
  • Briefed agency leadership and project stakeholders on problems and proposed solutions.
  • Served as a disaster-recovery subject matter expert, identifying process deficiencies and recommending mitigation strategies to reduce downtime and improve system continuity.

Jul 2009 - Apr 2019

San Juan, Puerto Rico · Independent contractor

Site Administrator

Puerto Rico Army National Guard

  • Oversaw administration and troubleshooting for a decentralized network spanning three computer learning centers and more than 200 desktops and laptops, balancing stakeholder needs.
  • Served as lead subject matter expert on the program security infrastructure.
  • Assessed IT infrastructure and processes to identify service improvements, including adapting, integrating, or retiring services. Helped the program reach the top 15 most used nationally.
  • Created statistical reports to analyze resource-usage patterns and improve availability for recurring requirements.

Jun 2006 - Jun 2009

San Juan, Puerto Rico

Software Manager

Gregory Morris Engineering

  • Led the Water Meter Customer Census program on a $20 million public-sector contract for the Puerto Rico Aqueduct and Sewer Authority.
  • Led system design and integration, including secure deployment of handheld and web applications for 60 field crews serving more than 1.4 million customers.
  • Managed technical infrastructure and software-development environments while supporting senior leadership and disaster-recovery planning.

Foundation

Education & credentials

01

Ph.D. in Information Systems

Nova Southeastern University

02

Master of Computer Science in Knowledge Discovery & Data Mining

Polytechnic University of Puerto Rico

03

Bachelor of Science in Computer Engineering

Polytechnic University of Puerto Rico

Professional service & memberships

  • Senior Member, IEEE
  • Member, Association for Computing Machinery (ACM)
  • Judge, Atlantic Council Cyber 9/12 Strategy Challenge, November 7-8, 2025
  • Conference Chair for multiple ACM and IEEE conferences

Course development & exercises

Teaching & academic leadership

01

Course leadership and instruction

Deputy Course Director for Cyber Fundamentals. Recorded three modules and developed topic questions and a policy-paper template. Contributed to course development and academic content for the cybersecurity policies and strategies course.

02

Cyber crisis exercises

Planned and managed two tabletop simulations for CYBER-AI, with instruction on ransomware and critical-infrastructure protection. New exercise concepts are in development.

03

Space policy education

Developing two modules for the Online Space Policy Fundamentals Course. Recorded instruction addresses cybersecurity and AI in the space domain, supported by selected readings.

Photography

A second way of looking closely.

Selected work across nature, landscape, and astrophotography.

Contact

Let’s start a
conversation.

heriberto.acosta [at] outlook.comView résumé (PDF)