Hunton Andrews Kurth LLP is pleased to announce that partner Lisa J. Sotto has been named an inaugural member of the Policy Advisory Group for the University of Virginia’s National Security Data and Policy Institute (NSDPI). The NSDPI, sponsored by the Office of the Director of National Intelligence, focuses on innovative research in the areas of data, emerging technology and policy. The Institute’s mission is to contribute knowledge and solutions at the confluence of technological evolution, societal change and national security policy to support the evolving needs of the national security and intelligence communities.

The inaugural Policy Advisory Group (PAG) includes members in leadership roles across a wide variety of industries, including AI automation, tech investment, government advisory, academia and more. The collective experience of the group makes it uniquely positioned to help the NSDPI meet objectives laid out by both the government and the University of Virginia. Convening at least twice a year, the PAG will review a report on the NSDPI by its Executive Director, receive updates on some of the Institute’s key programs and projects, and engage in a robust discussion of strategy. These consultations will help ensure the NSDPI’s activities and priorities are informed by UVA goals, sponsor requirements, and the long-term trends affecting the national security environment. 

A longtime leader in global privacy and cybersecurity law, Sotto has dedicated her career to promoting sound global data privacy and security practices across the globe. She chairs the firm’s privacy and cybersecurity practice and is the managing partner of the firm’s New York office. In addition to heading the firm’s privacy and cybersecurity team, in 2001, Sotto co-founded the Centre for Information Policy Leadership, a think tank within the firm that collaborates with industry leaders, policymakers and regulators to develop global solutions and best practices for data privacy and responsible data use.

Sotto has been sought after for her counsel in matters of cybersecurity and data privacy by governments and lawmakers around the world. From 2012 to 2025, Sotto chaired the U.S. Department of Homeland Security’s Data Privacy and Integrity Advisory Committee, and in 2024 she was jointly selected by the U.S. Department of Commerce and the European Commission to be included on the EU-U.S. Data Privacy Framework List of Arbitrators. She has testified before the U.S. Congress and other U.S. and global legislative and regulatory bodies, is the author of numerous treatises and articles, has been tapped to lead several industry committees and organizations, and appears regularly on national television and podcasts.