Dr. Keith E. Mayo, D.Eng. | Executive Director

Dr. Keith E. Mayo serves as Executive Director of The International Institute for Agriculture Security (TIIAS), where he leads educational initiatives and research programs focused on cyberbiosecurity threats to global agricultural systems. Under his leadership, TIIAS works to advance understanding of converged cyber-biological threats through academic partnerships, policy research, and international cooperation.

A retired U.S. Marine Corps officer, Dr. Mayo brings over 20 years of experience in counter-CBRNE operations, anti-terrorism/force protection, and science and technology program management. His service included key assignments at the Office of Naval Research, DARPA, and Marine Corps Systems Command, providing him with deep understanding of the intersection between national security and emerging technology threats. His subsequent consulting work with USDA and FDA further developed his expertise in agricultural security challenges.

At TIIAS, Dr. Mayo focuses on building bridges between academic research, government policy, and international cooperation to address emerging threats to agricultural security. His work emphasizes educational programming that helps stakeholders understand the complex convergence of cyber, biological, and physical threats to food systems.

Dr. Mayo holds a Doctor of Engineering in Cybersecurity Analytics, with additional master's degrees in cybersecurity policy, innovation and technology management, and business administration. He also holds a bachelor's degree in international relations and has received advanced training in intelligence operations and systems engineering.

He serves on the editorial board of Cyberbiosecurity Quarterly at BIO-ISAC and is a member of the Virginia Medical Reserve Corps. His current research interests include agricultural cyberbiosecurity policy development, international cooperation frameworks for food security, and educational approaches for building cyberbiosecurity awareness across diverse stakeholder communities.