Global Panel of CISOs Selects Top Chief Information Security Officers in North America

NEW YORK, Dec. 8, 2025 /PRNewswire/ — CISOs Connect™, the membership organization for Chief Information Security Officers, today announced the winners of its 2026 CISOs Top 100 CISOs (C100) Award, recognizing the most impactful cybersecurity leaders across the United States and Canada.

For the first time, a global panel of practicing CISOs—representing North America, Europe, and Asia-Pacific—selected this year’s honorees, who are distinguished not only by their security expertise, but equally important, by their dedication to giving back to the profession through knowledge sharing and mentoring. Winners will be recognized today at the CISOs Connect Miami Conference.

You can view the list of winners here: https://tinyurl.com/mtaud4kp

Global Perspective on CISO Excellence

“The CISO role is inherently global, with shared challenges across borders,” said Aimee Rhodes, CEO of CISOs Connect. “This year’s C100 winners showcase exceptional U.S. and Canadian CISO leadership, selected by international peers who understand the complexity and demands of the role, and recognize the need to nurture the coming generation of cybersecurity experts.”

“The C100 has always been about CISOs recognizing CISOs—no vendors, no politics, just pure peer recognition,” said David Cass, President of CISOs Connect and CISO of Keyrock. “Having a global panel this year reinforces what makes these awards unique: They represent the honest and uniquely informed assessment of those who actually do the job.”

The C100 maintains its founding principle: a transparent, peer-driven process with no sponsorship requirements, fees, or commercial influence.

2026 Selection Process

The global panel evaluated hundreds of U.S. and Canadian-based CISOs against established criteria:

Minimum five years serving in the CISO role
Demonstrated organizational impact and measurable achievements
Contributions to the CISO community through mentorship and knowledge sharing
Advancement of security culture, resilience, and professional development

2026 Distinguished Board of Judges

Angela Williams, SVP & Global CISO, UL Solutions
Brett Conlon, CISO, American Century Investments
Howard Whyte, CISO, CRC Group
Hussein Syed, SVP & CISO, RWJBarnabas Health
James Blair, CISO, Todd
Mandy Andress, CISO, Elastic
Mark Eggleston, CISO, CSC
Nashira Spencer, CISO, Stitch Fix
Ryan Field, CISO, Bank of Hawaii
Sherron Burgess, Global CISO, BCD Travel
Stephen Bennett, Group CISO, Domino’s Pizza Enterprises Ltd
Tomás Maldonado, CISO, NFL
Vannessa Van Beek, Global CISO, Fortescue

“Having international judges evaluate U.S. and Canadian talent created valuable dialogue about different approaches to security challenges,” said Stephen Bennett, Group CISO of Domino’s Pizza Enterprises Ltd. “These winners exemplify innovation and leadership that resonates globally.”

“The depth of talent was striking. These CISOs have built programs that others study and emulate,” added Brett Conlon, CISO of American Century Investments. “They’re the ones people call when facing tough decisions.”

“Reviewing these nominations reinforced something fundamental — that U.S. and Canadian CISOs aren’t just managing risk, they’re enabling business transformation,” said Nashira Spencer, CISO of Stitch Fix. “Each winner brings something valuable and distinct to the table.”

Special Recognition Awards

Beyond the Top 100, CISOs Connect is recognizing exceptional CISOs with four special distinctions:

Visionary Award – Frank Aiello, SVP, CISO, Maximus – Innovation that redefines the CISO role
Trailblazer Award – Margarita Rivera, SVP, Global CISO, Carnival Corporation – Expanding CISO leadership into enterprise strategy
CISO Champion Award – Hussein Syed, SVP, CISO, RWJBarnabas Health– Outstanding dedication to mentoring fellow CISOs
Impact Award – Monique Hart – CISO, Piedmont Health, Contributes meaningfully to advancing cybersecurity for organizations and society

Black Kite Continues Partnership

Black Kite has supported the C100 Award since its launch, partnering with CISOs Connect to champion authentic peer recognition in the cybersecurity profession.

“We’ve watched the C100 evolve from its inception, and what remains constant is its integrity,” said Paul Paget, CEO of Black Kite. “This global evaluation process brings a fresh perspective to recognizing excellence in our field. While other awards have commercial strings attached, the C100 stays true to its mission, with CISOs honoring peers based solely on merit and impact. That’s why we’ve supported it from day one.”

About CISO Connect

CISOs Connect is an exclusive, membership-only interactive community of trusted cyber peers and subject matter experts. It enables security leaders to share knowledge and expertise through proprietary content, research, and analysis, while providing a forum for collaboration with trusted colleagues to make informed business and technology decisions.

CISOs Connect and Security Current, which is known for its Security Shark Tank, are lauded for their CISO-driven content, knowledge sharing, and community. It is purpose-built and led by the top CISOs in North America.

Contact:
Amanda Ortiz
438-270-1731
[email protected]

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