Elevating Cyber Thought Leadership

Case Study: Defense Technology

Positioning DISA as a National Thought Leader on a Global Scale

Graphic showing a soldier using a tablet in a server room with the text 'DISA is the #EmployerOfChoice' and the Defense Information Systems Agency seal. (DISA graphic by Bethani Crouch)

DISA social marketing graphic promoting agency hiring at AFCEA TechNet Cyber. (DISA graphic by Bethani Crouch)

THE OPPORTUNITY

The Defense Information Systems Agency operates on a working capital fund model, marketing enterprise cybersecurity and defense IT solutions to industry partners and government buyers — functioning as a B2G product and campaign marketing operation.

As official co-host of the Armed Forces Communications and Electronics Association International flagship TechNet Cyber conference, DISA needed to:

  • Publicly demonstrate the AFCEA–DISA partnership while maintaining strict ethics guidelines.
  • Spotlight agency capabilities and thought leadership on zero trust, C2, SATCOM, cloud, AI, and cybersecurity.
  • Attract small-business innovators to networking sessions and increase overall engagement from the defense workforce.

Challenges: Co-host balance · Ethics compliance · Thought leadership · Customer engagement

+25% Visibility

+34% Engagement

+29% Opt-ins

3 Tier-one trade placements

SOLUTION: STRENGTHEN REPUTATION THROUGH ENGAGEMENT

My Role: I worked across departments and agencies to lead a 13-week, cross-channel campaign blending owned media (blogs, GovDelivery email, DISA.mil) and earned media with social media video and a YouTube livestream effort to turn pre-event buzz into real-time conversation and post-event relevance.

Key guardrails: use only DISA-branded assets, secure AFCEA logo permissions, and label all references as “co-host” to avoid implied endorsement.

  1. 📢 Messaging & Positioning: Narratives that spotlight DISA’s zero trust, cloud, AI, command & control, and cyber resilience capabilities, coordinated with AFCEA marketing.
  2. 👥 Stakeholder Engagement: Targeted programs for small-business innovators, tech partners, federal leaders, and the defense workforce.
  3. 📨 Media & Public Relations: Leadership blogs, pre-event briefs, media pitching, and live content to expand earned reach.
  4. 🎥 Integrated Channels: Blogs + GovDelivery + DISA.mil + YouTube livestream + LinkedIn/Twitter recaps for real-time and post-event lift.

RESULTS

The campaign standardized co-host execution, elevated DISA’s thought leadership, and created a repeatable playbook for future events — driving measurable visibility, engagement, and reputation lift.

POINTS OF IMPACT

  • 25% visibility, 34% lead generation, 29% opt-ins from the 13-week integrated campaign, showing significant increase from previous years
  • Sustained >5% engagement rate via daily social listening and agile content pivots
  • Executive visibility accelerated through leadership blogs, live streams, and event recaps
  • Clean co-host governance (brand assets, logo permissions, disclaimers) that avoided ethics friction
  • Earned coverage in DefenseScoop, SIGNAL Magazine, and Breaking Defense reinforced credibility beyond owned channels

COVERAGE

THOUGHT LEADERSHIP

Quote from Air Force Lt. Gen. Robert J. Skinner: 'Thunderdome will help us achieve [cyber resilience] by making DOD's networks more secure and more challenging for [adversaries] to access.' Skinner appears in Air Force dress uniform beside the text. Hashtag #DISATechNet23 and DISA logo shown at bottom. (DISA graphic by Erika Alverio)

Close-up of a microphone on a stand with a blurred panel of four speakers seated at a table in the background against a blue curtain. (DISA photo by David Marin)

PROMOS

  • Save The Date: Are you ready? — Role: video project lead
    Source: DISA, X, April 2023
  • DISA TechNet: Help Spread the Word — Role: writer/producer
    Source: DISA, X, May 2023
  • DISA TechNet: Today’s the Day — Role: writer/producer
    Source: DISA, X, May 2023

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