Dr. James Curtis is the Management Information Systems and Cybersecurity Program Director, and Assistant Professor of Information Technology at Webster University, St. Louis, MO. His professional expertise includes information technology, cybersecurity, project management, and transportation systems. Dr. Curtis is also a retired United States Air Force Colonel who was awarded more than two dozen combat and service decorations to include the Defense Superior Service Medal and a Joint Service Commendation Medal for a Special Act of Courage. From 1989-1993 he was a Presidential Communications Officer in the White House directly serving Presidents George H.W. Bush and Bill Clinton. After retirement from the military, Colonel Curtis was a Vice President and Regional Director of SRA International, a Fortune 1000 IT company. While in the IT industry, he led three separate projects that won the SRA Project Team Excellence Award. He received the Superior Service Award from the Armed Forces Communications-Electronics Association (AFCEA), and is a Past President of the Scott-St. Louis AFCEA Chapter. He received his bachelor’s degree from Texas State University, master’s degrees from the University of Oklahoma and Webster University, and a doctorate degree from Saint Louis University where the subject of his research was public-private partnerships. He frequently serves as a cybersecurity subject matter expert to NBC, FOX, KMOX, NPR, Voice of America, and other national and regional media services.

He is the co-author of the book “Cyber Forensics: Examining Emerging and Hybrid Technologies” which takes a deep dive into new and emerging technologies and conducting cybersecurity forensic investigations on their origins and attack methods. He is also the originator of the “Triad of Disruption” theory of Information Warfare used by nation-states and terrorist organizations against America and its allies. The theory was first published in National Defense magazine and has since been used as a source for evaluation and investigation using the three elements of social media, digital social engineering, and propaganda/fake news to influence and disrupt societies.