The agriculture sector is moving fast toward digitization. Farms now rely on connected equipment, cloud platforms, IoT sensors, automated supply chains, and data-driven operations. This shift opened new security gaps that attackers continue to exploit. As cyber threats increase, the industry now depends on security leaders who understand both technology and the unique challenges of modern farming.
Below are ten CISOs and security leaders who stand out for their work in protecting agriculture, food supply systems, connected equipment, and rural digital infrastructure. Their leadership is shaping how the global agriculture sector responds to rising cyber risks.
Anthony Brannum
Chief Information Security Officer, USDA
LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/tony-brannum-b40801/
Anthony Brannum leads cybersecurity at the United States Department of Agriculture. He plays a key role in securing systems tied to food safety, plant and animal health, and national agricultural infrastructure. His work supports resilience across agencies, labs, supply chains, and field operations.
Carl Kubalsky
Deputy CISO, John Deere
LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/carl-kubalsky-3050b318/
Carl Kubalsky helps secure one of the world’s largest producers of smart farm equipment. His work touches connected tractors, embedded systems, telematics, and digital platforms. He is also active in conversations about securing precision agriculture and protecting machinery from tampering and remote attacks.
Andrew Fazzone
CISO and Cybersecurity Advisor (Agriculture Focus)
LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/cybersecurityandrew/
Andrew Fazzone has supported agriculture companies by building security programs that protect rural operations, supply chains, and field technology. His background in healthcare and enterprise risk gives him a broad view that helps agriculture organizations strengthen their cyber resilience.
Jaya Baloo
Global CISO and Cybersecurity Leader
LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/jaya-baloo-558492/?originalSubdomain=nl
Jaya Baloo is not tied to a single agriculture company, but her work influences how critical sectors approach cybersecurity. Her expertise in telecom security, encryption, and risk strategy helps shape best practices that agriculture organizations can adopt as they modernize.
Jelena Zelenović Matone
Chief Security Governance Officer
LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/jelenazelenovic/?originalSubdomain=lu
Jelena specializes in governance, audit, and compliance. Her work is relevant to agriculture because the sector is moving toward tighter regulation and stricter supply chain reporting. CISOs with strong governance experience will shape how agriculture companies handle compliance and risk.
Alissa Abdullah (Dr. Jay)
Deputy CSO and Enterprise Security Leader
LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/dralissajay/
Dr. Jay brings experience across enterprise security, technology governance, and resilience. Agriculture companies with global operations face similar challenges, and her leadership model offers a useful playbook for securing complex supply chains.
Why These CISOs Stand Out
They understand the unique challenges of agriculture such as:
- Protecting IoT sensors and connected farm machinery
- Securing cloud based supply chains
- Preventing ransomware in processing plants
- Balancing safety, uptime, and security
- Navigating federal and international regulations
- Managing risks across rural and remote sites
Cybersecurity in agriculture is becoming essential. These leaders show what the future of agricultural protection looks like.