Texas has quietly become one of the most important cybersecurity hubs in the United States, especially across Austin, Dallas, Plano, and Houston, where SaaS, cloud, and enterprise technology companies continue to scale at speed. With that growth comes complexity: expanding attack surfaces, regulatory pressure, and the need to align cybersecurity directly with business outcomes.
This list of CISOs and senior security leaders in Texas’ technology and SaaS ecosystem highlights the individuals shaping how modern organizations think about cyber risk, resilience, and innovation. While not every leader here currently holds the formal CISO title, or may have recently transitioned roles, each has played a meaningful role in advancing cybersecurity leadership in the region. For more profiles like this, explore our list of CISOs to watch.
Sara Andrews — Global Chief Information Security Officer, Experian
Sara Andrews leads global cybersecurity strategy at one of the world’s largest data and analytics platforms, making her one of the most influential CISOs operating out of Texas today. Since stepping into the role in April 2022, she has overseen security across a highly regulated, data-intensive environment where trust is paramount. Her work spans identity protection, fraud prevention, and enterprise resilience at a global scale. Andrews is widely respected for blending risk management discipline with business enablement in a data-driven SaaS ecosystem.
Jason Robohm — Field CISO, CyberOne Security
Jason Robohm brings over 25 years of experience helping organizations design and implement robust security programs. As a Field CISO, he works directly with clients to align cybersecurity strategy with business and compliance requirements. His background includes deep expertise in frameworks such as PCI, SOX, and FISMA, as well as large-scale infrastructure security. Robohm represents the front line of customer-facing security leadership in the SaaS and services ecosystem.
Anthony Leatherwood — Former CISO, Centre Technologies; Director, Technology Risk and Cybersecurity, Plains All American
Anthony Leatherwood brings more than two decades of cybersecurity leadership, with deep experience protecting critical infrastructure and enterprise-scale environments. During his tenure as CISO at Centre Technologies, he built and led comprehensive security programs spanning GRC, IAM, and incident response. Now at Plains All American, he continues to oversee enterprise-wide cyber risk across assets exceeding $13 billion. His leadership is notable for translating cybersecurity investments into measurable business value, particularly in complex, high-stakes environments.
Michael K. Green — Chief Information Security Officer, Trellix
With over 30 years of experience in IT and cybersecurity, Michael K. Green brings a deeply operational and strategic perspective to his role at Trellix. His expertise spans global security operations, forensic investigations, and enterprise risk management across highly regulated industries. At Trellix, he is responsible for advancing cybersecurity strategy within a company that itself delivers security solutions to enterprises worldwide. Green’s leadership reflects a rare blend of hands-on technical depth and executive-level vision.
Guy Shamilov — Chief Information Security Officer, Forcepoint
Guy Shamilov is a seasoned CISO with over 20 years of experience aligning cybersecurity strategy with business growth, particularly in SaaS and cloud-first environments. At Forcepoint, he leads initiatives focused on securing modern cloud production environments and enabling secure digital transformation. He is especially known for integrating security into sales and customer trust processes, an increasingly critical function in SaaS. Recognized as a “CISO of the Year,” Shamilov emphasizes security as a business enabler rather than a barrier.
Shawn Valle — Interim CISO & Security Advisor, Cybersecurity Growth
While not tied to a single enterprise, Shawn Valle has built a reputation as a go-to fractional CISO for SaaS and high-growth technology companies. His work focuses on helping organizations rapidly mature their security programs without slowing down product development or go-to-market execution. With over 20 years of experience, Valle provides board-level guidance, audit readiness, and incident preparedness across regulated environments. He represents the growing trend of flexible, on-demand CISO leadership in the SaaS economy.
Carrie Mills — Vice President & Chief Information Security Officer, Southwest Airlines
Carrie Mills leads cybersecurity for one of the most operationally complex environments in the U.S., overseeing threat intelligence, incident response, and risk management. Since becoming CISO in 2024, she has expanded programs across aircraft cybersecurity, compliance, and enterprise resilience. Her background in both hospitality and aviation gives her a unique cross-industry perspective on risk. Mills stands out for her ability to operationalize cybersecurity in environments where uptime and safety are mission-critical.
Sonja Hammond — Chief Information Security Officer & VP, IT Architecture & Engineering, National Veterinary Associates
Sonja Hammond is a global cybersecurity leader known for building scalable security programs across healthcare and enterprise environments. At National Veterinary Associates, she oversees both cybersecurity and IT architecture, bridging strategy with execution. Her experience spans compliance, M&A security integration, and large-scale infrastructure transformation. Hammond is particularly recognized for embedding security into organizational culture across distributed, global teams.
The Bigger Picture: Why Texas CISOs Matter More Than Ever
As Texas continues to attract major SaaS, cloud, and cybersecurity companies, the role of the CISO is rapidly evolving. The leaders on this list reflect that shift, bringing together expertise in cloud security, identity, compliance, and enterprise risk to support growth at scale.
More importantly, they highlight a broader trend: cybersecurity leadership is no longer confined to a title. Whether operating as CISOs, advisors, or security executives, these individuals are shaping how organizations build trust, enable innovation, and navigate an increasingly complex threat landscape.