Raleigh is quietly becoming a powerhouse in cybersecurity leadership, home to executives shaping the security strategies of municipal governments, global enterprises, healthcare organizations, and tech innovators. From modernizing legacy systems to safeguarding cloud infrastructures, the city’s top CISOs are driving innovation, resilience, and strategic impact across industries. Here are 10 CISOs in Raleigh whose leadership and achievements make them worth watching.
Marina Lail Kelly — City of Raleigh
Marina Kelly became the City of Raleigh’s Chief Information Security Officer effective April 2024, leading security for a major municipal government. In 2025, she was named to the elite list of 2025 “Top Accelerated 100 CISOs (A100)” by CISOs Connect, marking her second consecutive year earning the honor and underscoring her rising influence among municipal security leaders. Her background, which includes a master’s in computer science after a career in education, plus her role authoring a bootcamp on secure coding, emphasizes her holistic view of security, risk, compliance, and community service.
Chuck Kesler — CISO, Pendo
Chuck Kesler serves as Chief Information Security Officer at Pendo, a Raleigh‑headquartered software company. He brings years of experience across IT and cybersecurity leadership, including prior CISO roles at major institutions such as Duke University Health System and leadership of a national security advisory practice at a global vendor. Known in the community as a prolific speaker at security conferences, Kesler also actively contributes to regional security groups, demonstrating a deep commitment to peer‑driven security culture and diversity initiatives.
Christina Bray — Collins Aerospace
Christina Bray is one of the notable CISOs in the Raleigh/Carolina security ecosystem, serving at Collins Aerospace. She’s a board member and a leadership figure in the regional security community. In 2025, she was recognized with the “Super Global” ORBIE Award, a prestigious accolade honoring security leaders in large, multinational organizations, underscoring her influence and impact in enterprise-scale security at a global aerospace firm.
Ken Athanasiou — VF Corporation
Ken Athanasiou holds the role of VP & Global CISO at VF Corporation. In 2025, he was awarded the “Leadership ORBIE” by the CarolinaCISO community, a mark of distinguished leadership and proven success in steering security strategy at a global scale. His work exemplifies how CISOs in Raleigh‑affiliated enterprises are confronting accelerating cyber‑threat landscapes while maintaining business agility and governance across worldwide operations.
John Opala — Hanesbrands, Inc.
John Opala heads information security for Hanesbrands as VP IT & Global CISO. His leadership was recognized by CarolinaCISO in 2025 with the “Global ORBIE” for executives at large, multinational corporations, highlighting his role in safeguarding a major global apparel enterprise. With decades of experience, Opala also straddles academia: he has taught courses in cybersecurity, risk management, digital forensics, and business ethics.
Nelly Nauman — Corporate Technology, Parexel
Nelly Nauman serves as Chief Information Security Officer and Executive Vice President of Corporate Technology at Parexel, a global contract research organization (CRO) with operations that include Raleigh. In 2025, she won the “Enterprise ORBIE” from CarolinaCISO, affirming her exceptional role in building and leading strong cybersecurity programs for large organizations. With 25+ years of experience, including prior senior roles at Moody’s Corporation, S&P Global, and Thomson Reuters, Nauman brings deep expertise in information risk management, business continuity, regulatory compliance and crisis response.
Betsy Brady — IBM Cloud
Betsy Brady leads security for IBM Cloud as CISO, responsible for security technology, strategy, design, and operations. She joined IBM in 2024 after a 15-year tenure at Bank of America, where she served as Managing Director and Cyber Risk Executive, overseeing enterprise-wide cybersecurity risk management. Brady holds a JD from Vanderbilt University Law School and a BBA in Marketing from the University of Georgia, blending legal, business, and technical expertise to guide complex cloud security programs.
Stephen Davis — Hubbell Incorporated
Stephen Davis is Chief Information Security Officer at Hubbell Incorporated, a global manufacturer of electrical and electronic products. Since 2023, he has led transformational cybersecurity initiatives, modernizing legacy environments into secure, digital-enabled architectures. Davis is a recognized thought leader, frequently contributing to industry publications and conferences, and is noted for embedding governance, risk management, and regulatory compliance into modernization projects that drive business resilience and innovation.
Matthew Clark — IAT Insurance Group
Matthew Clark serves as VP and CISO at IAT Insurance Group and participates on multiple advisory boards, including Gartner Security & Risk Management Summit and the EC-Council’s International CCISO Board. With over 20 years of experience in cybersecurity, governance, and risk management, Clark is known for aligning technical security initiatives with business objectives, delivering collaborative and results-focused solutions across enterprise environments.
Sean Cutler — Innovaccer
Sean Cutler is Global CISO at Innovaccer, a healthcare analytics and value-based care platform. Since 2022, he has been responsible for securing the company’s global data platform, which unifies patient information across systems to improve clinical, financial, and operational outcomes. Cutler also serves as an advisor to Primary Venture Partners, providing strategic guidance to healthcare and technology startups, emphasizing security-conscious innovation in early-stage companies.
Shaping the Future of Cybersecurity in Raleigh
This list is more than just names on a roster; they represent the evolving face of cybersecurity leadership in a dynamic, multi‑industry region. They show how broad and critical the role of a modern CISO has become. If you’re building a network, looking for peer knowledge, or just trying to understand the security landscape in Carolina, these are people worth following.