As I talk to chief information security officers around the country, I am increasingly fascinated by the career journey that these state government leaders have traveled. While some CISOs come from the private sector, many cybersecurity professionals have an amazing career in government technology service and/or military experience.
Recently, I had the distinct pleasure to meet and work with Jeff Maxon, the talented CISO who leads the Kansas Information Security Office within the state’s Office of Information Technology Services.
Jeff became the Kansas CISO in July 2020, in the midst of the COVID-19 pandemic, after serving the state in other capacities for more than 10 years. You can read Jeff’s bio here.
What immediately impressed me about Jeff was his passion for excellence in government, wide-ranging cybersecurity knowledge — demonstrated by a long list of certifications and education, including MSIAC, CISSP and CISM — and also his humility and breadth of experience.
I think Jeff’s description of how he got into the security field, as well as his professional growth in management and other government…
