Senior Vice President of Security, National Football League

Over her 26 years in law enforcement and counterterrorism, Cathy Lanier has come to be known for her game-changing leadership. Prior to serving in her current role as Senior Vice President and Chief of Security at the National Football League, Lanier held the position of Chief of Police with the Washington, D.C. Metropolitan Police Department (MPD) from 2007 to 2016. Lanier rose through the ranks of the MPD to earn various commendable honors including becoming the first female police chief of the nation’s capital, the first commanding officer of Homeland Security and Counter-Terrorism for D.C. Police, one of a small number of female chiefs in the nation at the time, and the longest serving chief on the D.C. force. Now, as the Chief of Security for the National Football League, Lanier safeguards the security of all 32 NFL teams and their venues, liaises and collaborates with federal, state and local law enforcement, and ensures security for League events like the Super Bowl. As an innovative force in safety and security, Chief Lanier’s service continues to extend beyond the NFL. She is Chair of the Commercial Facilities Sector Coordinating Council and Co-Chair of the Sports League Sub-Sector Coordinating Council.

Cathy holds both Bachelor’s and Master’s Degrees in Business Management from Johns Hopkins University, and a Master’s Degree in Homeland Security and Defense from the Naval Postgraduate School in Monterey, California. She is also a graduate of the FBI National Academy and the Drug Enforcement Administration’s Drug Unit Commanders Academy.