Government agencies manage critical infrastructure, public records, law enforcement systems, and citizen services that millions rely on every day. These systems must remain secure, resilient, and continuously available while facing increasingly sophisticated cyber threats. The professionals below represent cybersecurity leaders helping protect Florida’s public sector institutions and strengthen the security posture of government operations across the state.
Jim Betzhold — Chief Information Security Officer, South Florida Water Management District
Jim Betzhold serves as Chief Information Security Officer at the South Florida Water Management District, where he oversees cybersecurity strategy and protection of the organization’s operational and information systems. The district manages critical infrastructure related to water resources, flood control, and environmental stewardship across a large portion of Florida.
Betzhold has more than three decades of experience with the organization, previously serving as Chief Network Architect before transitioning into the Chief Information Security Officer role. His long tenure provides deep institutional knowledge that helps guide cybersecurity efforts protecting essential infrastructure and the technology systems that support regional water management.
Ken Herbin — Chief Information Security Officer, City of Jacksonville
Ken Herbin serves as Chief Information Security Officer for the City of Jacksonville, where he leads cybersecurity initiatives designed to protect city systems, data, and digital services. His work focuses on strengthening network security architecture and developing programs that reduce cyber risk across municipal operations.
Herbin’s career reflects a strong technical foundation in cybersecurity and network engineering. He is known for fostering a deeper understanding of technology risks within organizations while encouraging teams to approach complex technical problems through innovative thinking and collaboration.
John Sandbrook — Chief Information Security Officer, City of Miami Beach
John Sandbrook is Chief Information Security Officer for the City of Miami Beach, where he leads enterprise cybersecurity strategy for the city’s technology infrastructure. His responsibilities include protecting public-sector systems, ensuring regulatory compliance, and supporting mission-critical technology initiatives that enable city services.
Sandbrook brings extensive experience delivering enterprise security programs across multiple sectors including government, healthcare, retail, financial services, and manufacturing. His leadership style emphasizes collaboration, strategic planning, and aligning cybersecurity initiatives with broader organizational objectives.
Michael Hohider — Chief Information Security Officer, Okaloosa County Board of County Commissioners
Michael Hohider serves as Chief Information Security Officer for Okaloosa County, where he oversees cybersecurity strategy, incident response readiness, and risk management programs protecting county technology systems and public services.
Before becoming Chief Information Security Officer, Hohider held several technical security roles within the county, including Senior IT Security Administrator and IT Security Analyst. His career also includes experience supporting classified networks during deployments in Afghanistan while working with defense contractor CACI, giving him valuable experience managing secure and mission-critical network environments.
Robert Greene — Chief Information Security Officer, Orange County Sheriff’s Office
Robert Greene serves as Chief Information Security Officer at the Orange County Sheriff’s Office in Orlando, where he leads cybersecurity programs protecting sensitive law enforcement data and operational technology systems.
His responsibilities include developing comprehensive security strategies, overseeing incident response planning, and managing vulnerability assessments across the agency’s technology environment. Greene works closely with cross-functional teams to strengthen operational resilience and ensure continuity of critical law enforcement systems.
Jordan Clyatt — Chief Information Security Officer, Florida Department of State
Jordan Clyatt serves as Chief Information Security Officer for the Florida Department of State, where he oversees cybersecurity governance and security operations protecting the department’s systems and services.
Clyatt previously served as a Security Operations Center manager and earlier led technology initiatives as Director of Information Technology for Union County School District. His career reflects experience across both education and government sectors, bringing a broad understanding of public-sector cybersecurity challenges.
Brian Abbondanza — Chief Information Security Officer, Florida Department of Children and Families
Brian Abbondanza serves as Chief Information Security Officer for the Florida Department of Children and Families, where he leads cybersecurity strategy protecting sensitive systems supporting statewide public services.
Abbondanza is known for building high-impact security programs in complex government and healthcare environments. His leadership includes developing threat intelligence initiatives, improving vulnerability management programs, and strengthening incident response capabilities while maintaining compliance with regulatory frameworks such as HIPAA, HITECH, and NIST.
Protecting Public Infrastructure and Citizen Services
Cybersecurity in government administration plays a crucial role in protecting essential services, critical infrastructure, and sensitive citizen data. From law enforcement systems and healthcare programs to environmental and municipal operations, public sector organizations depend on strong cybersecurity leadership to maintain trust and operational resilience.
The leaders featured here represent cybersecurity professionals working across Florida’s government institutions to strengthen security frameworks, protect public systems, and ensure reliable delivery of services to the communities they serve.
For a look at cybersecurity leaders securing the platforms and applications that power modern organizations, explore our feature on CISOs to Watch in Florida’s Software Industry.