Biography
J. William Leonard is a former United States government official who served as Director of the Information Security Oversight Office (ISOO) from 2002 to 2008. In that role, often referred to as the government's classification czar, he was responsible for policy oversight of the executive branch's national security information classification system. A native of New York City, he holds a BA in History from St. John's University and an MA in International Relations from Boston University, and previously held senior positions in the Department of Defense.
Leonard appeared as himself in the 2013 documentary We Steal Secrets: The Story of WikiLeaks, directed by Alex Gibney, where he discussed classification policy and government secrecy. He has also provided expert testimony and commentary on classification and security clearance matters in legal cases and public forums.
