# OpenAI Hires Former ONCD Policy Chief

OpenAI hired Thomas Lind, formerly a policy chief at the White House Office of the National Cyber Director (ONCD), to lead cyber and strategic risk on its national security policy team; he joined the week of October 2, 2026. The hire follows a June 2, 2026 executive order establishing voluntary reviews for high-capability AI models. For government procurement professionals and contractors, the development signals increased engagement between AI companies and federal cyber policy expertise, while the voluntary review framework may shape future standards and opportunities in AI safety, cybersecurity, and model evaluation.

- The executive order establishes **voluntary** reviews, not a mandatory compliance requirement for contractors.
- Contractors supporting AI safety, cybersecurity, and model evaluation can track how federal engagement and emerging standards develop in these areas.
- Companies serving government AI programs may find it useful to assess whether their capabilities align with the review framework’s focus on high-capability models.

**Jurisdictions:** federal
**Industries:** Information Technology
**Topics:** Cybersecurity, Artificial Intelligence
**Published:** October 02, 2026

### Government Entities
- White House Office of the National Cyber Director (ONCD)
- White House

### Vendors
- OpenAI ()

### Sources
- [OpenAI hires former White House cyber official Thomas Lind to lead cyber and strategic risk](https://cryptobriefing.com/openai-hires-thomas-lind-cyber-risk) - Crypto Briefing