Mt. Sterling resident Holly Drake Named Top Cyber Leader in the Country

Holly Drake

State of Ohio Chief Information Security Officer (CISO) Holly Drake was awarded the National Association of State Chief Information Officers (NASCIO) Thomas M. Jarrett Cybersecurity Leadership Award for pivotal contributions to the field of cybersecurity.
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NASCIO represents state government chief information officers from around the country and advocates government excellence through leadership of quality business practices, information management, and technology. The award honors the vital role CISOs contribute to state cybersecurity efforts and is presented each year to one CISO who has made exceptional accomplishments in their field.

“Holly is an impressive leader who is committed to fostering innovation while securing the state’s digital environment,” said Kathleen C. Madden, Director of the Ohio Department of Administrative Services (DAS). “She is a valued member of our leadership team who has made significant contributions to the state’s efforts to evolve and strengthen our cyber practices and protect the state’s systems and citizen information.”

Drake was appointed State of Ohio CISO in February 2023 and manages the Office of Information Security and Privacy within DAS. The office partners with State of Ohio agencies to secure the state’s assets and protect citizen information by managing information security governance, privacy direction, awareness resources, and incident response.

During her accomplished career in information governance and oversight, she has been crucial in driving the development of privacy, cybersecurity, and compliance initiatives. Her previous experience includes cybersecurity leadership roles at The Ohio State University, State Auto Insurance, and Nationwide Insurance, where she led multiple cybersecurity governance teams responsible for policy, cybersecurity control framework, risk assessment, disaster recovery, and data governance.
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She is a graduate of The Ohio State University and Case Western Reserve University and holds several security and privacy certifications.