CISO Ascent Announces Board Appointments

CISO Ascent announced the appointment of its Board of Directors, a group of world-renowned security executives who will steward strategy, ethics, and community impact for the organization.

“CISO Ascent exists to help Executives step away from the noise, build life-long relationships, and serve a larger purpose,” said Bryce Carter, Board Chair. “Our board brings the judgment and heart needed to scale that mission for the community.”

Appointed Board Members

• Sandra McLeod, Board Member; CISO, Zoom
• Heather Ceylan, Board Member; CISO, Box
• Bryce Carter, Board Chair; CISO, City of Arlington, Texas
• Mignona Cote, Board Member; CISO, Infor
• Manny Thinakaran, Board Member; Global Head of Security, Ingenio
• Nick Leghorn, Board Member; CISO, Bluecore
• Mathew Konopinski, Board Member; CISO, Vestwell
• Dotan Akiva, Board Member; CIO & CISO, Certilman Balin
• Chris DeNoia, Board Member; CISO, Author

Board Member Biographies

Sandra McLeod – CISO, Zoom

McLeod joined Zoom in 2021 and has nearly 15 years of cybersecurity experience. She oversees Zoom’s global security program and previously spent over a decade at Cisco leading advanced security research, offensive security, and forensics teams. McLeod started her career as a software developer in financial and healthcare industries, and she holds advanced degrees in computer science.

Heather Ceylan – CISO, Box

Ceylan is a seasoned security executive with more than 15 years of experience in cybersecurity, privacy, and risk management. As Deputy CISO at Zoom, she led the development of Zoom’s global security strategy and risk programs. Prior to Zoom, she served as VP of Security, Privacy, and Compliance at Collective Health and was a cybersecurity director at PwC. Ceylan now leads information security at Box as Senior Vice President and CISO, driving enterprise security and compliance.

Bryce Carter – CISO, City of Arlington, Texas

Carter is the Chief Information Security Officer for the City of Arlington, a major city located in the Dallas-Fort Worth Metroplex, and a renowed veteran c-suite security and business executive. He previously held CIO and CISO roles in Bellingham, Washington and local government, served as an interim CISO for global critical infrastructure organizations, and is the former founder, CEO, and CTO of FlyPage, an ad-tech startup. Carter was recently honored with the 2025 DallasCISO ORBIE Award in the Large Corporate category for his leadership.

Mignona Coté – CISO, Infor

Coté brings over three decades of experience in information security, risk management, and compliance. As Senior Vice President and CISO at Infor (a Koch Industries company), she leads global cloud security for the company’s SaaS products. Coté is recognized as a trailblazer in the industry – she was inducted into the 2025 CSO Hall of Fame for her contributions to advancing information risk management. A world leader in multi-cloud security, she has built cybersecurity solutions across high-tech, healthcare, insurance, and financial services organizations.

Manny Thinakaran – Global Head of Security, Ingenio

Thinakaran is a global cybersecurity expert with extensive experience leading security in the tech sector. He has led Ingenio’s security program since 2021, after serving in senior cybersecurity management roles at major companies including Samsung Semiconductor and The Clorox Company. Over a career spanning nearly 20 years, Thinakaran has built and managed security teams across semiconductor, software, and consumer product industries, and he holds advanced degrees in engineering and project management.

Nick Leghorn – CISO, Bluecore

Leghorn is a seasoned cybersecurity leader who currently heads information security at Bluecore, an AI-driven retail marketing platform. He brings a diverse background in security operations, risk management, and compliance. Prior to joining Bluecore in 2023, Leghorn shaped application security as a director at The New York Times (2021–2023) and led security governance and engineering teams at Indeed. He is known for bridging technical and business needs, and even pursues academic research in cybersecurity law, reflecting a dedication to staying ahead of evolving cyber risks.

Mathew Konopinski – CISO, Vestwell

Konopinski serves as Chief Information Security Officer and SVP of Information Systems, Compliance, and Governance at Vestwell, a fintech platform, since 2022. He has a broad range of experience across cybersecurity and IT leadership. Konopinski previously advised on security and compliance at Kingfield Corporation and led DevSecOps practices at a global cloud consultancy, Contino. He also headed cloud platform engineering at Quartet Health, demonstrating expertise in secure cloud infrastructure. His background in both technology and governance helps Vestwell navigate the complex intersection of fintech innovation and security compliance.

Dotan Akiva – CIO & CISO, Certilman Balin

Akiva holds the dual role of Chief Information Officer and Chief Information Security Officer at Certilman Balin, a prominent law firm. He leverages deep IT leadership experience in the legal industry to oversee both technology strategy and cybersecurity for the firm’s operations. Prior to this role, Akiva managed IT systems and security for other legal organizations. Akiva’s combined business and security acumen ensures robust data protection and innovative IT services in a highly regulated sector.

Chris DeNoia – Author and Security Leader

DeNoia is an author and distinguished information security leader with a reputation for transforming IT programs into engines of enterprise growth and resilience. He has held senior security roles in global organizations. Notably, he served as an Information Security Officer at Moodle, the open-source learning platform, where he led efforts to secure a worldwide user base.

About CISO Ascent

CISO Ascent is a nationwide community that brings top chief information security officers together in some of the country’s most breathtaking national parks. Built to take executives beyond the boardroom, it provides opportunities to recharge outdoors, reduce burnout, collaborate, and forge lasting relationships while giving back to the community. Learn more at cisoascent.com.