Pennsylvania’s cyber landscape spans large health systems, higher education, financial services and gaming. That mix creates interesting challenges for security leaders. Below are ten CISOs and senior security executives you should follow for thought leadership, hiring signals and partnership opportunities.
Julian Mihai — Penn Medicine
Leads enterprise cybersecurity across Penn Medicine’s clinical, research and education operations. Watch how he balances patient care needs with security and compliance priorities.
Alex Petrow — Ascensus
Heads security at Ascensus, the Dresher, Pennsylvania retirement services firm. He has driven a global security program through many acquisitions and recent industry recognition.
James Sipe — Commonwealth of Pennsylvania (state CISO)
A former global cloud security lead brought in to raise statewide security posture. He focuses on enterprise coordination, policy and resilience across agencies.
Andy Ritter — Commonwealth of Pennsylvania (Acting CISO / Deputy)
Veteran security leader running enterprise initiatives and risk programs for the Commonwealth while the state stabilizes its centralized security function.
Bob Turner — Penn State University
Named Penn State’s chief information security officer in 2024. He now secures a distributed university environment that includes research systems and multiple campuses.
Matt Kimpel — Magna5 (Pittsburgh)
Promoted to CISO at Pittsburgh-based Magna5 in 2025. He will lead security for a managed services provider that serves many regulated clients. Watch for product and service moves from Magna5 under his leadership.
Danielle Bush Gerko — Concurrent Technologies Corporation (CTC)
Recently promoted to CISO at CTC, a technology and defense contractor with Pennsylvania roots. Expect a focus on secure engineering and government compliance.
David Lingenfelter — Penn Entertainment
Leads information security for Penn Entertainment, a major gaming and hospitality operator based in Wyomissing. His role covers both retail and digital platforms at scale.
John Childers — Axalta (Global Director of Information Security and Compliance)
Leads security and compliance at Axalta, a Philadelphia-headquartered global coatings company. He represents enterprise security inside a major manufacturing and industrial group.
Dan Walsh — Datavant (Philadelphia area)
Seasoned healthcare security executive now at Datavant and active in the Philadelphia security community. Watch his approach to securing healthcare data and vendor relationships.
Pennsylvania’s cybersecurity landscape continues to evolve, and these ten leaders reflect that shift. They work across sectors that hold sensitive data and depend on dependable digital infrastructure. Their decisions shape how organizations prepare for threats, strengthen resilience and manage risk in a connected world. Keeping an eye on their work gives you a clear view of where security in the state is heading and which strategies will matter most in the years ahead.