The Information Professionals Association, the leading professional organization focused on the study, advancement, and application of information-related activities and technologies to achieve cognitive security, announced today that Brian Murphy has been named President. Kevin Gates, who has served as IPA’s President for the last five-and-a-half years, will join the organization’s Board of Advisors.
Murphy’s appointment comes at a time of significant growth and accomplishment for IPA, which has expanded its membership, established the Cognitive Crucible Podcast, holds monthly brown bag events for members, and launched the Journal of Cognitive Security. IPA also named Chip Bircher as its Executive Director in November 2023 to oversee daily operations for IPA and support the President and Board on execution of strategic direction.
Murphy said he intends to position IPA as the leading voice globally on information and cognitive security.
“IPA’s work remains as important as ever because society is at a pivotal moment in time,” Murphy said. “The organization continues to sit at the intersection of helping governments, researchers, and technology companies come up with solutions to address the continually changing and growing cognitive security landscape.”
Murphy is the Managing Director for Logically.ai. In his role, he assisted in developing and implementing advanced Machine Learning and Artificial Intelligence solutions to find harmful threat content at scale and across languages and internet platforms. Before joining Logically, Murphy served as both the Principal and Acting Under Security for Intelligence for DHS. Murphy was a special agent with the FBI for 20 years. Murphy began his federal service in 1994 as an officer in the Marine Corps and would later return to this role in 2004 after being recalled to active duty for service in Iraq.
Since 2021, Murphy has been an adjunct professor for Georgetown’s Security Studies Program, where he teaches about homeland security and the complex domestic intelligence architecture underpinning national security. As of 2022, Murphy has been a member of DHS’s Election Infrastructure Committee and in 2024 was elected to the executive committee. In 2023, Murphy joined Pitt Cyber as an Affiliate Practice Scholar and collaborates with researchers and industry.
Murphy earned his PhD from Georgetown University; MA from Columbia University; and a BA from William and Mary. Murphy authored, “Foreign Disinformation in America and the U.S. Government’s Ethical Obligations to Respond” in Nature, Spring 2023, as well as several published articles and papers on the topics of disinformation, homeland security, and national security.
“I am happy to turn over the reins of leadership to someone with the vision and the drive of Brian,” said outgoing IPA President Kevin Gates. “I look forward to supporting him as we make this transition, and I hope I will continue to be a resource to him in advancing IPA’s mission over the next two years.”
About the Information Professionals Association
The mission of the Information Professionals Association (IPA) is to provide a forum for information professionals to interact, collaborate, and develop solutions that enhance the cognitive security of the United States and our friends and allies. IPA serves as the nexus for information professionals interested in the application of soft and hard science, advanced analytics, and innovative technologies to advance security, prosperity, shared values, and international order through the free flow of ideas and information.