P3s and Cyber: NIST’s Cheri Pascoe

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In the latest episode of CyberUSA’s Up Front podcast, host Adam Rak sits down with Cheri Pascoe, director of the National Cybersecurity Center of Excellence (NCCoE) at NIST. Together, they explore how NCCoE serves as a proving ground for practical, applied cybersecurity solutions that blend innovation with real-world impact.

Pascoe describes the center as a hands-on laboratory where industry, government, and academic experts collaborate to solve challenges no single organization can tackle alone. From building zero trust architectures and testing AI-driven defenses to advancing post-quantum cryptography and resilient infrastructure, NCCoE is focused on being two to three years ahead of the curve. The goal: to ensure that new technologies are secure, scalable, and ready to meet the evolving threat landscape.

The conversation highlights how NCCoE projects turn theory into practice. By publishing reference architectures, conducting applied research, and working with more than 180 partners, the center accelerates the adoption of secure technologies across sectors. Pascoe emphasizes that collaboration is the key — whether it’s competitors working side by side in NCCoE labs or public-private consortia shaping standards for the future.

Cybersecurity’s complexity demands collective effort, and NCCoE is leading the charge in creating solutions that protect today while preparing for tomorrow.