Governor Greg Abbott has appointed Timothy James “TJ” White as Chief of the Texas Cyber Command. White’s term will run until February 1, 2027. The Texas Cyber Command was established to coordinate cybersecurity efforts among state, local, and federal agencies to defend against cyber threats.
“Our state is under constant attack by cyber criminals, attacks that occur thousands of times every single second of every single day,” said Governor Abbott. “Texas needs strong cybersecurity experts to lead our fight against these attacks, often from hostile foreign adversaries like China, Russia, and Iran. Admiral White’s decades of honorable military service to our country combined with his cybersecurity expertise makes him the leader we need at the helm of the Texas Cyber Command. Admiral White and the Texas Cyber Command will serve as essential assets to prevent and protect against cyber breaches to keep Texans safe.”
The creation of the Texas Cyber Command was designated as an emergency item by Governor Abbott during his 2025 State of the State Address. The legislation establishing this entity was signed into law in June.
White is a retired vice admiral in the U.S. Navy and currently leads OneNetworkConnection, LLC. He also serves as a Professor-of-Practice at the Naval Postgraduate School and is involved with organizations such as the Military Cyber Professionals Association and Navy and Marine Corps Relief Society. Additionally, he is a trustee for the Southwest Research Institute.
White began his naval career in 1983 from Spring, Texas, retiring in 2020 after 37 years of service. His previous roles include Commander of United States Fleet Cyber Command/United States TENTH Fleet/United States Navy Space Command; Commander of United States Cyber National Mission Force/USCYBERCOM; and Director of Intelligence for United States Indo-Pacific Command.
He holds degrees from several institutions: a Bachelor of Science in Mechanical Engineering from the United States Naval Academy; a Master of Science in Systems Technology from the Naval Postgraduate School; and a Master of Science in Strategic Resource Management from the Industrial College of the Armed Forces.
