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The Campaign for Human Rights and Development International (CHRDI) has announced that Dylan Presman, Director for Budget and Assessment at the White House Office of the National Cyber Director (ONCD), will join its Freetown team as a Fulbright Specialist at the end of June 2026.
Presman is expected to undertake a two-week placement in Sierra Leone, during which he will support CHRDI in developing and delivering a “Privacy and Personal Data Protection in Sierra Leone Advocacy Toolkit.” The initiative aims to strengthen awareness and advocacy on digital rights, privacy, and data protection across the country.
According to CHRDI, the toolkit, alongside accompanying training sessions, will equip journalists and human rights defenders with practical knowledge and tools to better understand and advocate for citizens’ rights in the digital space.
The engagement is part of efforts to enhance cybersecurity awareness and strengthen institutional capacity in addressing emerging digital governance challenges in Sierra Leone.
Presman brings over 25 years of senior experience in United States federal cybersecurity and public sector governance.
Since 2021, he has served at the White House Office of the National Cyber Director, where he established enterprise-wide cybersecurity budget accountability frameworks and authors joint Office of Management and Budget (OMB)–ONCD directives that guide cybersecurity funding priorities across U.S. federal agencies. He also leads the ONCD Quantum Working Group and represents the United States in international cybersecurity policy engagements.
Prior to this, he served as Budget Director at the Cybersecurity and Infrastructure Security Agency (CISA) under the U.S. Department of Homeland Security from 2017 to 2021. In that role, he oversaw the growth of CISA’s budget from $1.5 billion to $2.5 billion, expanded the Budget Division from seven to 48 staff members, and introduced systems to improve accountability and performance measurement.
CHRDI noted that Presman’s work focuses on aligning strategic priorities with budgeting and measurable outcomes—principles the organization says are consistent with findings from its recent Citizens Opinion Poll, which highlighted the importance of accountability in strengthening public trust in institutions.
CHRDI’s Chief Executive welcomed the appointment, stating that the collaboration marks a significant step in advancing digital rights advocacy in Sierra Leone.
“CHRDI is honored to host Mr. Presman through the Fulbright Specialist Program. His expertise in cybersecurity policy and accountable governance will directly strengthen our advocacy for data protection and digital rights in Sierra Leone,” the Chief Executive said.
The partnership is expected to contribute to capacity building for local stakeholders while reinforcing ongoing efforts to promote privacy, accountability, and responsible digital governance in Sierra Leone.
