Cybersecurity Pioneer Steven Lipner Elected to Hertz Foundation Board of Directors

Lipner is executive director at SAFECode, a nonprofit organization dedicated to increasing trust in information and communications technology products and services through the advancement of effective software assurance methods. He is also co-chairing a DARPA-sponsored National Academies committee on improving the security assurance and nimbleness of large integrated software systems. With over 50 years’ experience as a general manager, engineering manager and researcher, Lipner is considered a pioneer in cybersecurity.

“Steven has an incredible depth of experience leading and transforming large organizations,” says Stephen Fantone, chair of the board of directors for the Hertz Foundation. “His accomplished career is an inspiration to the Hertz community, and his experience is certain to bring enormous value to the board. We’re grateful for his ongoing commitment to the Hertz Foundation.”

As a Hertz Fellow himself, Lipner shares with the entire Hertz community an unwavering commitment to applying his talents to the most pressing challenges facing our nation and world. He also brings to the board his own distinct view of the fellowship experience and the capacity to advocate for the particular needs of Hertz Fellows.

The Hertz Fellowship—the most prestigious doctoral fellowship program of its kind—is awarded to the nation’s most exceptional students in applied science, engineering and mathematics, providing the resources and lifelong support to accelerate their careers and amplify their research for ultimate impact.

“Steve’s proven ability to lead multiple stakeholders toward solutions for complex problems will be an incredible asset to the foundation,” says Robbee Baker Kosak, president of the Hertz Foundation. “I’m thrilled to have Steve join the board, as we work together to amplify the foundation’s impact.”

Lipner’s commitment to the Hertz Foundation is also demonstrated in his philanthropy. He and his wife, Anne, funded the Steve and Anne Lipner Endowed Fellowship, currently held by 2023 Hertz Fellow Freja Ekman.

“I was delighted to be invited to join the Hertz Foundation board of directors,” says Lipner. “I benefited enormously from the foundation’s support while I was a student and have been happy to support the foundation in recent years. I’m looking forward to helping guide the foundation’s activities and especially having the opportunity to share my experience and the lessons I’ve learned with future generations of Hertz Fellows.”

Lipner will begin his board term this month, along with four other new board members: Cheri Ackerman, co-founder and CEO, Concerto Biosciences; Max Mankin, co-founder and CTO, Modern Hydrogen; Michael Schnall-Levin, CTO and founding scientist, 10x Genomics; and Alfred Spector, visiting scholar, MIT, and senior advisor, Blackstone.

We sat down with Lipner to learn more about his work and what he hopes to contribute to the organization.

Q: What are you working on right now that’s most exciting to you?

Lipner: I have a mix of part-time and volunteer roles. Right now, I’m co-chairing a DARPA-sponsored National Academies committee on improving the security assurance and nimbleness of large integrated software systems. Together, we have the opportunity to help the government and other organizations take advantage of new software technologies and approaches to development.

Q: Why is joining the board important to you?

Lipner: I have been an enthusiast for the Hertz Foundation since the early 1960s, when I was named an undergraduate Hertz Scholar at MIT. I have always believed in the value of the funding flexibility, and I appreciate the community that has emerged over the years as well. I have watched the foundation grow and strengthen, and I’m happy to do whatever I can to help continue its great work.

Q: What unique insights or perspectives do you bring to the board?

Lipner: I’ve worked as a manager and leader in large organizations all my career, helping transform the way they do things so they can operate more effectively. What’s more, I’m very conscious of the importance of organizational culture, commitment and a highly motivated board of directors.

Q: Why is the Hertz Foundation important for the future of science and technology?

Lipner: The country and world need people who are able to explore their ideas and create things at the edge of science and technology. The Hertz Foundation has a demonstrated capability of selecting and supporting people with this kind of potential.

Q: What advice would you give to the newest class of Hertz Fellows?

Lipner: Take advantage of this opportunity, take risks, and pursue the ideas that excite you and that you think are important.

The Fannie and John Hertz Foundation identifies the nation’s most promising innovators in science and technology and empowers them to pursue solutions to our toughest challenges. Launched in 1963, the Hertz Fellowship is the most prestigious fellowship program in the U.S., fueling 1,280 leaders, disruptors and creators who apply their remarkable talents where they’re needed most — from our national security to the future of healthcare. Hertz Fellows hold over 3,000 patents, have founded more than 375 companies, and have received more than 200 major national and international awards, including two Nobel Prizes, 10 Breakthrough Prizes, the National Medal of Technology, the Fields Medal and the Turing Award.  Additionally, 52 are members of the National Academies of Sciences, Engineering and Medicine, and 37 are fellows of the American Association for the Advancement of Science. Learn more at HertzFoundation.org.