The Gulf South’s tech scene keeps growing quietly. Health systems, energy firms, insurance companies, and universities all mean more sensitive data, and local security leaders have stepped up. Below are ten CISOs and senior security leaders who either live in, serve, or have deep ties to the New Orleans region.
Wayman Cummings — Ochsner Health
Wayman Cummings leads cybersecurity at Ochsner Health, aligning security strategy with enterprise and clinical goals to safeguard patient data and ensure uninterrupted care. He oversees security intelligence, incident response, and vulnerability management, strengthening protections that support Ochsner’s standing as Louisiana’s top-ranked health system and a HIMSS Davies Award recipient.
Cummings serves on advisory boards for SlashNext and ISTARI Global and is president of the Capital of Texas InfraGard board. He previously held security leadership roles as deputy CISO at Sysco and CISO at Unisys.
Brian Mayeur — Hancock Whitney
Brian Mayeur is a veteran security leader known in regional banking and enterprise security forums for his work in security architecture and operational security at Hancock Whitney. With more than two decades of experience, from control systems engineering and Navy electronics work to security engineering and senior security strategy, he offers a grounded perspective on resilience and the convergence of OT and IT in financial services.
Sean K. Lowder — SideChannel
Sean Lowder runs SideChannel’s vCISO and principal consulting practice and publishes practical playbooks on building programs from scratch. As a long-time practitioner who now packages that experience for regional organizations through vCISO services, Lowder is worth watching for tooling, process, and compliance advice tailored to mid-market Gulf South enterprises.
Emanuel Ohlsen — Cyderes
Emanuel Ohlsen is a vCISO and GRC-focused security leader whose work emphasizes measurable controls, modern risk tooling, and the use of Generative AI to streamline governance, risk, and compliance. As a Principal Consultant at Cyderes, he advises high-profile organizations on cybersecurity strategy, regulatory readiness (including NIS2 and DORA), and enterprise threat modeling and vulnerability management. He also mentors teams across major security and privacy frameworks.
Ohlsen’s public engagement, practitioner-focused posts, and active credentialing make him a visible voice for practical, AI-enabled GRC implementation in the region.
Mark Dunkerley — Coca-Cola Bottlers Sales & Services
Mark Dunkerley is a cybersecurity and technology leader with over 20 years of experience across higher education, healthcare, and Fortune 100 companies. As CISO at CCBSS, he drives secure technology solutions and innovative risk reduction programs, navigating complex IT architectures, cloud technologies, vulnerability management, vendor risk, identity and access management, security operations, application and data security, and regulatory compliance.
Dunkerley holds an MBA and numerous certifications, including (ISC)², Microsoft, CompTIA, VMware, Cisco, AirWatch, AXELOS, and EMC. He has spoken at industry events, published case studies, and served on customer advisory boards. Recognized among Security Magazine’s 2022 Top Cybersecurity Leaders, he was named a Top Global CISO for 2024 by Cyber Defense Magazine.
Ann Delenela — Entergy
Ann Delenela is vice president and chief information security officer at Entergy, bringing over 25 years of experience in information technology, information security, and cyber-physical security management. She is a strategic leader in the electricity sector, serving on committees and advisory boards, including the Department of Energy, NERC Electricity ISAC, North American ISOs/RTOs, the Texas Private Sector Advisory Council, the Association of Women in Energy, and the Gartner Security & Risk Management Summit.
Delenela has been recognized as one of the “Women to Watch in STEM” by Profiles in Diversity Journal and named a top 10 woman CISO to watch by Chief Security Officer magazine, reflecting her influence and leadership in cybersecurity.
Jeremy Pelegrin — University of Massachusetts Amherst
Jeremy Pelegrin is the CISO at UMass Amherst, where he leads cybersecurity strategy to protect the systems and data that support the university’s academic and research missions. He emphasizes aligning security with institutional goals through strong, campus-wide collaboration, fostering a secure environment for learning, research, and innovation.
Previously, Pelegrin worked at Tulane University, where he modernized cybersecurity practices, strengthened governance, and advanced identity and endpoint security initiatives. His efforts earned him Tulane’s 2024 President’s Staff Excellence Award for building collaborative partnerships across academic, medical, and research communities. Pelegrin is recognized for balancing robust security with a collaborative culture, making him a trusted leader in higher education cybersecurity.
Amanda Hartle — Prove
Amanda Hartle is a cybersecurity and IT leader based in New Orleans, serving as CISO and CIO. She also holds leadership positions on several boards and advisory committees, such as ChiBrrCon, Fiddlers, and Tulane University, reflecting her influence across the industry. Hartle is an active speaker and contributor to CISO podcasts, panels, and professional forums, where she shares insights on operational leadership, cybersecurity strategy, and IT governance. Her public posts and appearances make her a valuable voice for leadership lessons and industry commentary.