Telecommunications providers form the digital backbone of New York’s economy. From Tier 1 IP networks and fiber infrastructure to VoIP platforms and carrier-grade cloud systems, this sector demands security programs that protect high-availability networks, customer data, and national-scale connectivity. The leaders below operate at the intersection of engineering depth and enterprise risk management—securing the systems that keep businesses, governments, and consumers connected.
James Karimi — Chief Information Officer and Chief Information Security Officer, GTT
James Karimi serves as Chief Information Officer and Chief Information Security Officer at GTT, where he leads global network architecture, engineering, information technology, and security. A seasoned telecommunications engineering veteran, he has architected carrier-grade operator networks and overseen enterprise-scale systems. His leadership includes expansion of a Tier 1 IP backbone, integration of networks following mergers and acquisitions, and advancement of software-driven network automation and monitoring platforms.
Emilyann Fogarty — Chief Information Security Officer, NYSERNet
Emilyann Fogarty brings cross-industry cybersecurity leadership experience spanning education, research, healthcare, manufacturing, managed services, and Software as a Service environments. As Chief Information Security Officer at NYSERNet, she focuses on maturing security programs while aligning risk management with business enablement. Recognized as a Global InfoSec Award recipient for Top Women in Cybersecurity, she blends strategic partnerships, governance expertise, and operational depth to secure high-performance research and education networks.
Amanda Deusenbery — Chief Information Security Officer, Windstream
Amanda Deusenbery serves as Chief Information Security Officer at Windstream, where she leads enterprise security strategy within a major telecommunications provider. Her career spans identity and access management leadership, software engineering, and product development across telecommunications and internet services organizations. With a strong technical foundation, she advances identity-centric security architectures while protecting complex carrier environments and customer-facing platforms.
Alex Martinez — Chief Information Security Officer, TeleGo
Alex Martinez serves as Chief Information Security Officer at TeleGo, bringing hands-on telecommunications engineering experience to his security leadership role. His background includes systems administration and VoIP infrastructure management, providing operational insight into carrier environments. By aligning security controls with telecommunications engineering realities, he supports resilient voice and network services for customers across New York.
Securing the Backbone of Connectivity in New York
Telecommunications security is fundamentally about resilience. Network uptime, data integrity, identity assurance, and secure automation must operate in parallel at scale. The leaders highlighted here demonstrate how engineering-driven cybersecurity programs can protect critical infrastructure while enabling innovation across fiber, IP, and cloud-enabled communications ecosystems.
Continue exploring security leadership across New York’s industries in our CISOs to Watch in the State of New York’s Computer & Network Security Industry feature.