Electronic Press Kit: James F. Mackey III
For media inquiries:
Nate Wright | Press Contact for James F. Mackey III
Bio (Short, 75 words)
James F. Mackey III is a cybersecurity practitioner, 13-year U.S. Army veteran, and elected member of the Tewksbury, MA Select Board. He is the founder and CEO of Precision Cyber Defense Solutions (PCDS), a veteran-led cybersecurity and IT services firm, and the founder of the Municipal Cyber Association, a nonprofit helping municipalities build cybersecurity programs. He serves as cyber threat emulation lead for Cyber Yankee, the National Guard’s premier regional cyber defense exercise.
Bio (Full, 200 words)
James F. Mackey III spent 13 years in the U.S. Army, including a deployment to the Middle East during Operation Enduring Freedom. After military service, he built a career in cybersecurity consulting, earning his CISSP certification and working with organizations across industries to assess and improve their security operations.
He is the founder and CEO of Precision Cyber Defense Solutions (PCDS), a veteran-led firm that delivers cybersecurity, AI enablement, and IT concierge services. PCDS operates directly inside clients’ Microsoft environments, with no vendor lock-in.
Mackey was elected to the Tewksbury, MA Select Board in 2021 and reelected in 2024. A fourth-generation Tewksbury resident, he has secured approximately $250,000 in cybersecurity grants and donations for the town, brought a Massachusetts Army and Air National Guard Cyber Team to assess Tewksbury’s infrastructure through the DOD Innovative Readiness Training program, and launched the town’s cybersecurity internship program for high school students.
He founded the Municipal Cyber Association (MCA) to help cities and towns build cybersecurity programs with limited resources. In 2023, he served as a panelist at the Massachusetts Cybersecurity Forum at the State House.
He serves as cyber threat emulation lead for Cyber Yankee 2026.
Headshot
Current Role
Cyber Threat Emulation Lead, Cyber Yankee 2026 National Guard annual tactical-level Defensive Cyber Operations exercise Camp Nett, Niantic, CT | May 2026 400+ military, government, and private-sector participants
Founder & CEO, Precision Cyber Defense Solutions (PCDS) cyber-defense.io Veteran-led cybersecurity, AI enablement, and IT concierge services Tewksbury, MA
Select Board Member, Town of Tewksbury, MA Elected 2021, reelected 2024
Founder, Municipal Cyber Association (MCA) Nonprofit helping municipalities build cybersecurity programs
Areas of Expertise
James is available to speak on the following topics:
- Nation-state cyber threats to U.S. critical infrastructure (Iran, China/Volt Typhoon)
- Cyber threat emulation and Red Team operations
- Municipal and small-organization cybersecurity readiness
- Military-to-civilian cyber defense coordination
- The veteran-to-cybersecurity career pipeline
- Incident response planning for organizations without dedicated security teams
- Microsoft security stack optimization
Published Work
Iranian Cyber Threats Targeting U.S. Private-Sector Companies March 16th, 2026)
Sourced analysis of Iranian cyber operations patterns against U.S. energy and water infrastructure.
Payload Didn’t Exist Six Weeks Ago. It’s Already Operating in Seven Countries (April 30th, 2026) A new ransomware group, the hundred-person company that got hit, and what a lower barrier to entry means for security this year.
Recent Press
- NBC Boston – April 3, 2026 “New Security Policy at Tewksbury Hospital Has Staff Fearing for Safety” https://www.nbcboston.com/news/local/new-security-policy-at-tewksbury-hospital-has-staff-fearing-for-safety/3927267/
- NBC Boston – April 4, 2026 “‘There Are People That Are in Fear’ Over Security Policy at Tewksbury Hospital” https://www.nbcboston.com/news/local/there-are-people-that-are-in-fear-over-security-policy-at-tewksbury-hospital/3927883/
- Tewksbury Town Crier – April 2026 Tewksbury Hospital security policy coverage https://homenewshere.com/tewksbury_town_crier/news/article_5ba6cc8d-d16c-48a2-a8ca-cdd14f4b744d.html
- Massachusetts Cybersecurity Forum – 2023 Panelist, State House, Boston, MA Presented by the Healey-Driscoll Administration and MassCyberCenter
Key Facts
- 13-year U.S. Army veteran, Operation Enduring Freedom
- CISSP certified
- Tewksbury Select Board (elected 2021, reelected 2024), 4th generation resident
- Secured ~$250,000 in cybersecurity grants/donations for Town of Tewksbury
- Brought MA Army/Air National Guard Cyber Team to Tewksbury via DOD IRT program
- Launched Tewksbury cybersecurity internship program (high school students)
- Hosted Municipal Cybersecurity Summit (2021, 50+ attendees from 12+ towns)
- Cyber threat emulation lead, Cyber Yankee 2026
About Cyber Yankee
Cyber Yankee is the National Guard’s annual tactical-level Defensive Cyber Operations exercise focused on the New England region. Founded in 2015, the exercise trains 400+ military, government, and private-sector participants to defend simulated critical infrastructure from nation-state-level cyberattacks. It is the only DOD cyber exercise focused on civilian critical infrastructure rather than military networks.
About Precision Cyber Defense Solutions (PCDS)
PCDS is a veteran-led cybersecurity, AI enablement, and IT concierge services provider based in Tewksbury, MA. PCDS works directly inside clients’ Microsoft environments, delivering managed security, managed IT, penetration testing, AI enablement, and fractional CISO/CIO advisory without vendor lock-in.
cyber-defense.io | (978) 675-3997 | info@cyber-defense.io
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For media inquiries:
Nate Wright | Press Contact for James F. Mackey III