Gottumukkala out, Andersen in as acting CISA director | CyberScoop<\/title> <meta name=\"description\" content=\"Madhu Gottumukkala steps down as acting director of CISA, replaced by Nick Andersen. The move follows criticism of agency performance and leadership shifts at DHS.\"> <link rel=\"canonical\" href=\"https:\/\/cyberscoop.com\/cisa-leadership-change-madhu-gottumukkala-nick-andersen\/\"> <meta property=\"og:locale\" content=\"en_US\"> <meta property=\"og:type\" content=\"article\"> <meta property=\"og:title\" content=\"Gottumukkala out, Andersen in as acting CISA director\"> <meta property=\"og:description\" content=\"Madhu Gottumukkala steps down as acting director of CISA, replaced by Nick Andersen. The move follows criticism of agency performance and leadership shifts at DHS.\"> <meta property=\"og:url\" content=\"https:\/\/cyberscoop.com\/cisa-leadership-change-madhu-gottumukkala-nick-andersen\/\"> <meta property=\"og:site_name\" content=\"CyberScoop\"> <meta property=\"article:publisher\" content=\"https:\/\/www.facebook.com\/cyberscoop\/\"> <meta property=\"article:published_time\" content=\"2026-02-27T02:21:08+00:00\"> <meta property=\"article:modified_time\" content=\"2026-02-27T02:21:10+00:00\"> <meta property=\"og:image\" content=\"https:\/\/ddi.mohflo.net\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/02\/gottumukkala-out-andersen-in-as-acting-cisa-director-2.jpg\"> <meta property=\"og:image:width\" content=\"1920\"> <meta property=\"og:image:height\" content=\"1280\"> <meta property=\"og:image:type\" content=\"image\/jpeg\"> <meta name=\"author\" content=\"Tim Starks\"> <meta name=\"twitter:card\" content=\"summary_large_image\"> <meta name=\"twitter:creator\" content=\"@timstarks\"> <meta 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href=\"https:\/\/cyberscoop.com\/cisa-leadership-change-madhu-gottumukkala-nick-andersen\/#main\" class=\"skip-to-content-link visually-hidden-focusable\">Skip to main content<\/a> <\/p>\n<div class=\"ad ad--top ad--top-desktop\">\n<div class=\"ad__inner\"> <span class=\"screen-reader-text\">Advertisement<\/span> <\/div>\n<\/div>\n<p> <main id=\"main\" role=\"main\" tabindex=\"-1\"> <\/p>\n<div class=\"ad ad--top ad--top-mobile\">\n<div class=\"ad__inner\"> <span class=\"screen-reader-text\">Advertisement<\/span> <\/div>\n<\/div>\n<section id=\"stickybar\" class=\"stickybar stickybar--newsletter js-stickybar\" readability=\"0.82\"> <button class=\"stickybar__close js-stickybar-close\" aria-controls=\"stickybar\"> <svg class=\"icon icon--close\" width=\"21\" height=\"22\" viewBox=\"0 0 21 22\" fill=\"none\"><path d=\"m.822.518-.805.805L9.695 11 .017 20.678l.805.805 9.678-9.678 9.677 9.678.806-.805L11.305 11l9.678-9.677-.806-.805-9.677 9.677L.822.518Z\" fill=\"currentColor\" \/><\/svg> <span class=\"visually-hidden\">Close<\/span> <\/button> <\/section>\n<article class=\"single-article content\">\n<div class=\"single-article__container js-single-article-content\">\n<header class=\"single-article__header \" readability=\"25.926441351889\">\n<div class=\"single-article__header-content\" readability=\"31.527272727273\">\n<ul class=\"single-article__eyebrow\">\n<li class=\"single-article__category\"> <a class=\"single-article__category-link\" href=\"https:\/\/cyberscoop.com\/cisa-leadership-change-madhu-gottumukkala-nick-andersen\/\"> <span>Government<\/span> <\/a> <\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<p> The move follows a story about criticisms of CISA\u2019s performance during the first year of the Trump administration, with Madhu Gottumukkala\u2019s leadership a point of contention. <\/p>\n<p>   <\/div>\n<div class=\"single-article__cover-wrap\">\n<figure class=\"single-article__cover\"> <img data-recalc-dims=\"1\" fetchpriority=\"high\" width=\"640\" height=\"426\" src=\"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/ddi.mohflo.net\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/02\/gottumukkala-out-andersen-in-as-acting-cisa-director.jpg?resize=640%2C426&ssl=1\" class=\"single-article__cover-image wp-post-image\" alt decoding=\"async\" fetchpriority=\"high\" srcset=\"https:\/\/ddi.mohflo.net\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/02\/gottumukkala-out-andersen-in-as-acting-cisa-director-2.jpg 1920w, https:\/\/ddi.mohflo.net\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/02\/gottumukkala-out-andersen-in-as-acting-cisa-director-2.jpg?resize=300,200 300w, https:\/\/ddi.mohflo.net\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/02\/gottumukkala-out-andersen-in-as-acting-cisa-director-2.jpg?resize=768,512 768w, https:\/\/ddi.mohflo.net\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/02\/gottumukkala-out-andersen-in-as-acting-cisa-director-2.jpg?resize=1024,683 1024w, https:\/\/ddi.mohflo.net\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/02\/gottumukkala-out-andersen-in-as-acting-cisa-director-2.jpg?resize=1536,1024 1536w, https:\/\/ddi.mohflo.net\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/02\/gottumukkala-out-andersen-in-as-acting-cisa-director-2.jpg?resize=600,400 600w, https:\/\/ddi.mohflo.net\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/02\/gottumukkala-out-andersen-in-as-acting-cisa-director-2.jpg?resize=252,168 252w, https:\/\/ddi.mohflo.net\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/02\/gottumukkala-out-andersen-in-as-acting-cisa-director-2.jpg?resize=506,337 506w, https:\/\/ddi.mohflo.net\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/02\/gottumukkala-out-andersen-in-as-acting-cisa-director-2.jpg?resize=1013,675 1013w, https:\/\/ddi.mohflo.net\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/02\/gottumukkala-out-andersen-in-as-acting-cisa-director-2.jpg?resize=1265,843 1265w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 1013px) 100vw, 1013px\"><figcaption> Madhu Gottumukkala, acting director of the Cybersecurity and Infrastructure Security Agency, testifies during the DHS oversight hearing in the Cannon House office building on Jan. 21, 2026. (Photo by Heather Diehl\/Getty Images) <\/figcaption><\/figure>\n<\/p><\/div>\n<\/header>\n<div class=\"single-article__content\">\n<div class=\"single-article__content-inner has-drop-cap\"> <html readability=\"23.386796193497\"><body readability=\"49.878048780488\"><\/p>\n<p>Madhu Gottumukkala is out as acting director of the Cybersecurity and Infrastructure Security Agency, with current agency executive director for cybersecurity Nick Andersen replacing him as the interim leader.<\/p>\n<p>News of Gottumukkala\u2019s departure breaks one day after CyberScoop reported on <a href=\"https:\/\/cyberscoop.com\/cisa-personnel-cuts-trump-second-term-analysis\/\">widespread dismay<\/a> with the agency\u2019s performance during the first year of the Trump administration, with significant criticism aimed at Gottumukkala\u2019s leadership on both sides of the aisle after a number of unflattering stories about his stewardship.<\/p>\n<p>\u201cMadhu Gottumukkala has done a remarkable job in a thankless task of helping reform CISA back to its core statutory mission,\u201d a Department of Homeland Security official told CyberScoop Thursday. \u201cHe tackled the woke, weaponized, and bloated bureaucracy that existed at CISA, wrangling contracts to save American taxpayer dollars.\u201d<\/p>\n<p>Gottumukkala, served as chief information officer under then-South Dakota Gov. Kristi Noem, now secretary of DHS, before he was picked as deputy director of the agency. Sean Plankey\u2019s nomination to serve as full-time director of CISA has stalled, leaving Gottumukkala as the acting director in his place.<\/p>\n<div class=\"ad ad--inline_1 \">\n<div class=\"ad__inner\"> <span class=\"screen-reader-text\">Advertisement<\/span> <\/div>\n<\/div>\n<p>Gottumukkala will take on a new role at DHS, as director of strategic implementation. Andersen has won more favorable reviews from industry and cyber professionals during his tenure at CISA than did Gottumukkala, whom some still praised for his technical acumen.<\/p>\n<p>ABC News <a href=\"https:\/\/abcnews.com\/Politics\/us-cybersecurity-agency-new-acting-director\/story?id=130544936\">first reported<\/a> the news on the Gottumukkala and Andersen moves. The news comes the same day as reports about another leadership change at the agency, with Cybersecurity Dive <a href=\"https:\/\/bsky.app\/profile\/ericjgeller.com\/post\/3mfrrl7p6222r\">first reporting<\/a> on the exit of Robert Costello as CISA CIO.<\/p>\n<p>While some officials CyberScoop spoke to for its story about CISA this week believed the agency had some duplication, most thought the Trump administration had cut far deeper than needed, damaging the agency. <\/p>\n<p>Andersen has held several IT and cybersecurity roles in the public sector over the past two decades, including positions at the Coast Guard, Navy and Department of Energy.<\/p>\n<p> <\/body> <\/p>\n<footer class=\"single-article__footer\">\n<div class=\"author-card\" readability=\"7.7216117216117\">\n<div class=\"author-card__avatar\">\n<figure class=\"author-card__image-wrap\"> <img data-recalc-dims=\"1\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"author-card__image\" src=\"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/ddi.mohflo.net\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/02\/gottumukkala-out-andersen-in-as-acting-cisa-director-1.jpg?w=640&ssl=1\" alt=\"Tim Starks\"> <\/figure>\n<\/p><\/div>\n<div class=\"author-card__details\" readability=\"10.901098901099\">\n<h4 class=\"author-card__name\">Written by Tim Starks<\/h4>\n<p> Tim Starks is senior reporter at CyberScoop. His previous stops include working at The Washington Post, POLITICO and Congressional Quarterly. An Evansville, Ind. native, he’s covered cybersecurity since 2003. Email Tim here: <a href=\"mailto:tim.starks@cyberscoop.com\">tim.starks@cyberscoop.com<\/a>. <\/div>\n<\/p><\/div>\n<div class=\"single-article__tags-container\">\n<h4 class=\"single-article__tags-title\">In This Story<\/h4>\n<\/p><\/div>\n<\/footer>\n<p> <\/html><\/div>\n<\/p><\/div>\n<\/p><\/div>\n<div class=\"single-article__ads js-single-article-sidebar\">\n<div class=\"ad ad--sidebar js-single-article-sidebar-5 ad--rightrail_1 \">\n<div class=\"ad__inner\"> <span class=\"screen-reader-text\">Advertisement<\/span> <\/div>\n<\/div>\n<div class=\"ad ad--sidebar js-single-article-sidebar-4 ad--rightrail_2 \">\n<div class=\"ad__inner\"> <span class=\"screen-reader-text\">Advertisement<\/span> <\/div>\n<\/div>\n<div class=\"ad ad--sidebar js-single-article-sidebar-3 ad--rightrail_3 \">\n<div class=\"ad__inner\"> <span class=\"screen-reader-text\">Advertisement<\/span> <\/div>\n<\/div><\/div>\n<\/article>\n<div class=\"popular-stories popular-stories--single-post\">\n<div 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CyberScoop<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":11,"featured_media":0,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"_jetpack_memberships_contains_paid_content":false,"footnotes":""},"categories":[452,293,117,4895,2560,5841,506],"tags":[454,299,119,4897,2576,5842,507],"class_list":["post-8386","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","hentry","category-cybersecurity-and-infrastructure-security-agency-cisa","category-department-of-homeland-security-dhs","category-government","category-madhu-gottumukkala","category-nick-andersen","category-robert-costello","category-workforce","tag-cybersecurity-and-infrastructure-security-agency-cisa","tag-department-of-homeland-security-dhs","tag-government","tag-madhu-gottumukkala","tag-nick-andersen","tag-robert-costello","tag-workforce"],"featured_image_urls":{"full":"","thumbnail":"","medium":"","medium_large":"","large":"","1536x1536":"","2048x2048":"","chromenews-featured":"","chromenews-large":"","chromenews-medium":""},"author_info":{"display_name":"Cyber Scoop","author_link":"https:\/\/ddi.mohflo.net\/index.php\/author\/cyberscoop\/"},"category_info":"<a href=\"https:\/\/ddi.mohflo.net\/index.php\/category\/cybersecurity-and-infrastructure-security-agency-cisa\/\" rel=\"category tag\">Cybersecurity and Infrastructure Security Agency (CISA)<\/a> <a href=\"https:\/\/ddi.mohflo.net\/index.php\/category\/department-of-homeland-security-dhs\/\" rel=\"category tag\">Department of Homeland Security (DHS)<\/a> <a href=\"https:\/\/ddi.mohflo.net\/index.php\/category\/government\/\" rel=\"category tag\">Government<\/a> <a href=\"https:\/\/ddi.mohflo.net\/index.php\/category\/madhu-gottumukkala\/\" rel=\"category tag\">Madhu Gottumukkala<\/a> <a href=\"https:\/\/ddi.mohflo.net\/index.php\/category\/nick-andersen\/\" rel=\"category tag\">Nick Andersen<\/a> <a href=\"https:\/\/ddi.mohflo.net\/index.php\/category\/robert-costello\/\" rel=\"category tag\">Robert Costello<\/a> <a href=\"https:\/\/ddi.mohflo.net\/index.php\/category\/workforce\/\" 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{"id":8386,"date":"2026-02-26T20:21:08","date_gmt":"2026-02-27T02:21:08","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/cyberscoop.com\/?p=87976"},"modified":"2026-02-26T20:21:08","modified_gmt":"2026-02-27T02:21:08","slug":"gottumukkala-out-andersen-in-as-acting-cisa-director","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/ddi.mohflo.net\/index.php\/2026\/02\/26\/gottumukkala-out-andersen-in-as-acting-cisa-director\/","title":{"rendered":"Gottumukkala out, Andersen in as acting CISA director"},"content":{"rendered":"