New CISO announced for Raleigh

Marina Kelly has been named as the City of Raleigh’s new Chief Information Security Officer (CISO).

One of her first priorities will be to review the current state of information security in the North Carolinian capital so as to design, build, and execute a strategic plan for security.

“Raleigh is a leader in innovation, sustainability, and economic development, which brings with it a complex and diverse information technology infrastructure,” she told Cities Today. “My goal is to build a strategic and comprehensive information security programme which aligns with and reflects that can-do spirit as the city tackles the challenges that come with being a fast-growing municipality.”

Alongside this, and importantly for Kelly, is to build relationships with the departments her team serves and supports.

“The most efficient and effective information security programmes are ones which are community and customer focused,” she added. “You can build the strongest and most secure technical infrastructure, but if you do not have a strong ‘human firewall’, it could all be for naught.”

Although beginning her career as a teacher in North Carolina, a decade later she switched career paths and moved into information technology. She worked for almost seven years at North Carolina State University, where she crossed paths with her counterparts from the City of Raleigh, and is what drew her to this role.

“As a native of North Carolina and having lived in the Raleigh area for more than a decade, I was excited to have an opportunity to return to working in the government space and to give back to this area,” she said. “Serving as the CISO in a city that is home to world-class academia and cutting-edge technology companies makes this job even more exciting.”

Another deciding factor was, for her, to work in a diverse workforce, typically seen in city government.

“Being a woman in the cybersecurity space can be a lonely experience,” she added. “I am loving the fact that I am working with more women as my counterparts than at any time in my three decades plus career.”

Image: City of Raleigh