Rob Arnold is a strategist, author, and principal consultant at Acorn Pass, where he helps leaders and organizations make better decisions under uncertainty.
His work spans government, enterprise, startups, standards development, and creative expression — anchored in frameworks and thinking tools that bridge rigorous analysis with actionable strategy.
Experience That Meets Complexity
With decades of leadership across public service, enterprise strategy, and consulting, Rob brings a uniquely cross-sector perspective to complex challenges.
He served as Senior Advisor for Cybersecurity and Risk Management at the National Risk Management Center (part of CISA, U.S. Department of Homeland Security), where he helped establish the first National Critical Functions Risk Register — a foundational coordination and prioritization tool that informs federal leadership risk objectives.
Before that, he was CEO of Threat Sketch, a data and analytics firm focused on large-scale cyber risk management solutions. Rob has also represented organizations before Congress on cybersecurity matters and participated in major national and industry forums, bringing grounded insight to policy makers and practitioners alike.
Frameworks & Tools That Bridge Insight and Decision
Rob is the creator of the UC2 (Uniform Confidence/Certainty Estimation) framework, a rigorous approach to disentangling confidence from certainty in risk estimation. UC2 informs tools like the Risk Ruler, Lean Chasm strategy model, and extensions to risk scoring domains like CVSS and AIVSS — helping teams align judgment, communicate risk, and navigate uncertainty.
His work is both intellectually grounded and practically oriented, designed to support leaders and teams in real decision contexts rather than abstract theory.
Author, Speaker, and Thought Partner
Rob is the author of Cybersecurity: A Business Solution, a practical guide that helps executives and risk professionals align cybersecurity strategy with real organizational needs. His work has been referenced by the National Institute of Standards and Technology (NIST) and recognized in industry publications as a valuable resource for practitioners and leaders.
He is also a seasoned speaker, having presented on risk, strategy, and decision frameworks at national conferences, standards forums, and in media engagements.
Cybersecurity: A Business Solution
Featured Frameworks
- • UC2 Framework
- • Risk Ruler
- • Lean Chasm
- • CVSS Extensions
Active Ventures
Beyond consulting and frameworks, Rob is engaged in creative and entrepreneurial initiatives that apply the same methodologies and strategic thinking brought to client work. These ventures include clean energy infrastructure, cybersecurity services, children's education, and innovative consumer products.
Testimony: Cybersecurity U.S. Congress
NIST Cybersecurity Framework Advocacy
Rob was honored to be recorded by the National Institute of Standards and Technology (NIST) to promote adoption of the NIST Cybersecurity Framework.
Credentials & Experience
Government Advisory
- ● US Congress (formal testimony)
- ● DHS, CISA, FBI, DOE advisory roles
Critical Infrastructure
- ● Nation-state advisory for US and MENA allies
Business
- ● Serial entrepreneur
- ● VC raises and investments
- ● M&A advisory
Standards
- ● CVSS contributor
- ● AIVSS development
Publications
- ● Cybersecurity: A Business Solution
Speaking
- ● US Cabinet-Level Round table
- ● WSJ speaker and panelist
- ● NIST Cyber Security Framework panel
Applied Expertise
When you work with Acorn Pass, you work directly with me—the person with a track record of delivering world-class thinking, analysis, and strategy.
Let's Work Together
Partner with someone who delivers world-class thinking, analysis, and strategy—directly, without hand-offs.