Advisory
Most partnerships end in a press release.
Yours ends in a program people use.
Government and industry both say they want to work together. Few build the program that makes it real. We do: partner programs, government relationships and federal go-to-market, led by the former Chief of the Commercial Facilities Sector at CISA.
What we do
Partnership and affiliate programs
Design and grow vendor, affiliate and member programs that deliver value to both partners and the community.
Typical work
Program design, partner recruitment and engagement, co-produced products, thought leadership
Information sharing strategy
Help ISACs, ISAOs and associations strengthen their offerings, membership and government relationships.
Typical work
Offering and membership strategy, stakeholder mapping, convenings, partner-facing guidance
Government relations
Serve as a fractional government relations lead for companies working with federal, state and local agencies.
Typical work
Agency relationships, positioning, briefings, meeting prep and follow-through
Federal market strategy
Help firms sell into CISA, DHS and the critical infrastructure community.
Typical work
Market entry, capture support, proposal review, mission framing
Critical infrastructure security
Bring sector expertise to venues, hospitality, retail and real estate operators and those who serve them.
Typical work
Risk-informed strategy, partnership engagement, resilience priorities
Executive communications
Turn complex security and policy issues into clear decisions for senior leaders.
Typical work
Executive briefings, white papers, presentations, decision memos
Who we serve
- ISACs, ISAOs, nonprofits and trade associations
- Companies selling into CISA, DHS and the critical infrastructure community
- Infrastructure developers and operators that need government relationships
- Venue, hospitality, retail and real estate operators
- Security and AI companies building a public-sector motion
How we engage
Monthly retainer
Fixed monthly fee, quoted upfront, for standing access to strategy, reviews and introductions.
Fractional role
Fixed monthly fee for a defined part-time role, such as government relations or partner programs.
Project
Fixed price for set deliverables and a timeline.
Advisory board seat
Ongoing strategic counsel to leadership.
No hourly billing.
Who leads it
Catherine Abramson
Senior Advisor, Critical Infrastructure and Public-Private Partnerships
Catherine Abramson leads Steel Toe Advisory. She helps companies, ISACs and associations build partnerships that government and industry both use, and helps firms grow in federal and critical infrastructure markets.
Most recently, Catherine was Chief of the Commercial Facilities Sector at the Cybersecurity and Infrastructure Security Agency (CISA). She led national strategy and stakeholder engagement across eight subsectors, from stadiums and hotels to retail and real estate, and managed a team of six. Earlier at CISA, she supported the Enduring Security Framework and cross-sector cyber engagement.
Before government service, she spent seven years at General Dynamics Information Technology advising DHS on information sharing. There she ran more than 100 secure government-industry communities on HSIN-CI. She began her career at Booz Allen Hamilton.
Catherine also serves as Chief Revenue Officer of Thalos, an AI safety and security platform. She holds an MBA from American University's Kogod School of Business and a BA from Vanderbilt University.
Have a program to build or a market to enter?
Talk to us. We reply within one business day.