Connecticut is home to a wide range of cybersecurity leadership spanning financial services, insurance, research institutions, transportation, higher education, and government. The state’s security leaders are helping protect sensitive data, modernize enterprise systems, and strengthen digital resilience across both private and public sector organizations.
The following professionals represent cybersecurity and technology leaders helping shape Connecticut’s security landscape through governance, infrastructure modernization, risk management, and operational leadership.
Anthony Dennis — Director of Cybersecurity, Strategic Value Partners
Anthony Dennis serves as Director of Cybersecurity at Strategic Value Partners, where he leads security efforts for the firm’s physical and digital assets. His role builds on a long tenure at the company that has also included leadership of global IT infrastructure and network operations.
Dennis brings extensive experience across infrastructure, governance, and cybersecurity. Before joining Strategic Value Partners, he worked at Banc of America Securities and IBM, building a background in firewall design, network security, and enterprise infrastructure that now supports his cybersecurity leadership in a global investment environment.
Brendan McKiernan — Chief Information Security Officer, Trium Cyber U.S. Services, Inc.
Brendan McKiernan serves as Chief Information Security Officer at Trium Cyber U.S. Services, where he brings a blend of business and technology leadership to cybersecurity strategy. His background includes extensive experience across insurance, manufacturing, and biotech environments.
Before joining Trium Cyber, McKiernan held leadership roles at AXA XL and XL Catlin, including serving as North American Data Privacy Officer and Vice President of IT Operations. His career has focused on aligning pragmatic technology solutions with enterprise objectives while supporting privacy, compliance, and operational improvement in highly regulated sectors.
Chris J. Bernard — Chief Information Security Officer, The Jackson Laboratory
Chris J. Bernard serves as Chief Information Security Officer at The Jackson Laboratory, where he leads cybersecurity strategy for the biomedical research institution. His role follows years of security and research leadership in higher education and research-driven environments.
Bernard previously served as Chief Information Security Officer at the University of Connecticut and Bucknell University, and also held leadership roles at Miami University. His background combines information security, infrastructure strategy, research support, and academic technology leadership, giving him deep experience in securing research-intensive institutions.
Bradley Cooper — Chief Information Security Officer, RTi Research
Bradley Cooper serves as Chief Information Security Officer at RTi Research, where he has spent more than two decades overseeing technology and information assurance responsibilities. His work focuses on securing systems and data while supporting technology-driven research operations in a fast-paced environment.
Cooper is responsible for managing cybersecurity risk and helping ensure operational continuity through secure and reliable technology systems. His long tenure and CISM certification reflect deep experience in balancing business needs, productivity, and information security within a research-focused organization.
Patrick Francis — Chief Information Officer & Chief Information Security Officer, Coordinated Transportation Solutions, Inc.
Patrick Francis serves as Chief Information Officer and Chief Information Security Officer at Coordinated Transportation Solutions, where he brings a broad technology leadership background spanning cybersecurity, digital transformation, strategic planning, and continuous improvement.
Francis is known for building consensus around critical initiatives and delivering practical technology solutions to complex business challenges. His experience reflects a leadership style centered on both innovation and operational execution across enterprise technology functions.
Gene Farberov — Partner & Chief Information Security Officer, Gramercy Funds Management LLC
Gene Farberov serves as Partner, Chief Information Security Officer, and Chief Artificial Intelligence Officer at Gramercy Funds Management. In that role, he helps guide cybersecurity, infrastructure, and emerging technology strategy for the investment firm.
Farberov previously served as Senior Vice President and Head of IT Infrastructure and Cybersecurity at the firm before moving into his current leadership position. His progression reflects deep experience in securing financial environments while supporting enterprise technology transformation and strategic modernization.
Bill Duenges — Chief Information Officer & Chief Information Security Officer, Aircastle
Bill Duenges serves as Chief Information Officer and Chief Information Security Officer at Aircastle, where he leads enterprise technology, security, governance, and modernization initiatives. His role includes responsibility for cybersecurity planning, risk visibility, board reporting, staff training, and cloud migration efforts.
Duenges is known for building IT and security programs from the ground up and aligning them with business growth objectives. His work at Aircastle has included implementing governance frameworks, developing cybersecurity standards, modernizing systems, and strengthening compliance across a global business environment.
Timothy Carling — Chief Information Security Officer, The Hartford
Timothy Carling serves as Chief Information Security Officer at The Hartford, where he leads the company’s enterprise information security organization. In this role, he oversees security policies, standards, vendor governance, incident response, security operations, identity and access management, and compliance-related security efforts.
Carling’s career spans more than 25 years of executive leadership experience. At The Hartford, he leads a large, cross-disciplinary team and regularly updates executive leadership and the board on cybersecurity priorities, risks, and organizational security strategy.
Robert J. King — Director of Information Technology & Chief Information Security Officer, University of Saint Joseph
Robert J. King serves as Director of Information Technology and Chief Information Security Officer at the University of Saint Joseph. His work combines IT leadership, enterprise architecture, network security, and operational strategy within a higher education environment.
King is recognized for his hands-on leadership style and his ability to connect technical strategy with business goals. His experience includes network security, process automation, virtualization, and building strong technical teams that support institutional technology priorities.
Ratish Nair — Chief Information Security Officer, Connecticut Judicial Branch
Ratish Nair serves as Chief Information Security Officer for the Connecticut Judicial Branch, where he leads enterprise cybersecurity strategy, institutional digital resilience, and technology governance across one of the three branches of Connecticut state government.
His responsibilities include overseeing cybersecurity strategy for sensitive judicial systems and regulated data, along with cloud modernization, infrastructure security, identity and access management, and institutional risk governance. Nair also contributes to broader state and national conversations on AI governance, cybersecurity grants, and public sector technology strategy through multiple advisory and planning roles.
Cybersecurity Leadership Across Connecticut
Connecticut’s cybersecurity landscape reflects the needs of a diverse economy that includes finance, insurance, healthcare, research, education, transportation, and government. Security leaders in the state are helping organizations protect critical systems, manage regulatory obligations, and strengthen resilience in increasingly complex digital environments.
The professionals featured here represent a cross-section of leaders helping define cybersecurity strategy across Connecticut. Their work highlights the state’s continued importance as a hub for enterprise security, risk management, and digital transformation.
For more profiles of cybersecurity executives shaping security strategy across industries and regions, explore our CISOs to Watch series highlighting influential security leaders around the world.