About
I work at the intersection of artificial intelligence, cybersecurity, and human communication. My experience spans more than two decades in the U.S. defense and federal systems integration space, with a focus on secure AI adoption, digital transformation, and training effectiveness for complex organizations.
My doctoral research examines cybersecurity training effectiveness, particularly phishing resilience, through a communication and behavioral lens. In practice, I help organizations translate regulatory and policy guidance into workable AI and security architectures that real people can use.
Roles & Focus Areas
Recent work includes aligning organizational AI programs with frameworks such as the NIST AI RMF, Executive Orders on AI, and contemporary cybersecurity standards, while building practical pathways for deployment on GPUs, on-prem clusters, and hybrid environments.
Curriculum Vitae
A full CV is available as a PDF: Download CV (PDF)
Education
- PhD, Cybersecruity Communication – University of Kentucky, 2025
- MS/MA – Communication - Instructional Technology, University of Kentucky
- BS/BA – Communication / Computer Science, University of Kentucky
Certifications
- CISSP – Certified Information Systems Security Professional
- PMP – Project Management Professional
- (Inactive) TS/SCI with Poly (Multiple years and projects)
Selected Experience
- 20+ years in defense & federal contracting environments (Northrop Grumman, Peraton, U.S. State Department, etc.)
- Leadership across AI, data science, security, and training initiatives
- Vice President, AI & Data Science – FTEI
Publications & White Papers
This section serves as a central reference point for my academic work, white papers, and applied writing. Items link out to journals, SSRN, LinkedIn articles, industry sites, or locally hosted PDFs.
Peer-Reviewed and Book Publications
- Chaney, D. (2022). “Addressing Catastrophes Through Communication Science.” Communication and Catastrophic Events: Strategic Risk and Crisis Management. Publisher ( Co-Authored with H. Dan O'Hair and Mary John O'Hair )
White Papers & Reports
- Chaney, D. (2025). “The Business Impact of CMMC 2.0: What C-Suite and IT Leaders Must Know Now.” PDF · SSRN (Submitted Oct 23, 2025)
Dissertation and Thesis
- Chaney, D. (2025). Cybersecurity training as risk communication: A theory-informed model of employee learning and behavior change. PDF · Google Scholar · NotebookLM Podcast Summary (Runtime 00:14:53)
- Chaney, D. (2000). A student-centric model of technology and instructional communication: Investigating the relationship between learning styles and technology preference
Selected Projects & Interests
- Training Knowledge Flow (TKF) Model. A three-stage model for understanding how cybersecurity training (especially phishing) moves from exposure to sustained behavior change in the workplace.
- On-Prem LLM & RAG Deployments. Designing and deploying GPU-backed LLMs for organizations needing on-prem or hybrid control over data protection, compliance, and latency.
- AI Governance Playbooks. Practical guides aligning AI adoption with NIST AI RMF, federal Executive Orders, sector-specific regulations, and organizational risk appetites.
Contact
The best way to reach me is via email, either at:
- Dan@uky.edu (through June, 2026) or
- Dan@DanChaney.com or
- Chaney.Dan@gmail.com.
For speaking, collaboration, or advisory work, feel free to include a short description of your organization and the kind of problem you’re trying to solve.