The REN-ISAC Steering Committee is key to our community’s growth. They provide guidance and oversight for REN-ISAC’s strategic direction, serve our members through committees and task forces, represent REN-ISAC at professional events, and help disseminate information about REN-ISAC products and services.
After holding our 2022 Steering Committee elections, new committee members Russel Fulton, Jodi Ito, and Joel Rosenblatt joined Michael Corn, Allison Henry, and Dave Robinson as our six member-elected leaders.* Get to know your elected REN-ISAC representatives.
Michael Corn, University of California – San Diego
Since 2003, Mike has been a leader in higher education information security. He has a wealth of knowledge from serving as Chief Information Security Officer (CISO) at two large R1 level research universities (University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign, University of California San Diego), a private research institution (Brandeis University), and at an organizational system level (University of Illinois System).
Mike worked closely with the REN-ISAC in its formative years and has been a proud advocate of it and its services ever since.
“The REN encapsulates the finest elements of infosec in higher education: cross institutional collaboration and information sharing, collegiality, and community building and professional growth. Higher ed information security is at a point where we need to take a big step in our maturation as a field, and the REN-ISAC is uniquely positioned to help foster that.”
Russell Fulton, University of Auckland
With over 50 years working in academic IT and half of those in security, Russel is a great addition to the REN-ISAC steering committee. Hailing from the University of Auckland in New Zealand, he also provides a unique, global perspective to the REN-ISAC and higher education information security more broadly.
During the early 2000’s, Russel felt like the only person in the New Zealand universities whose major job responsibility was information security. The REN-ISAC became his trusted group of fellow professionals, and he has since recruited most of the New Zealand universities into the REN-ISAC.
“The REN-ISAC has been very good to me, to the University of Auckland, and to New Zealand universities as a whole. The security landscape has changed radically over the last three years, and signs indicate that pace may well accelerate in the future. REN-ISAC has done well in the past in adapting to change and growth, and I believe that it will keep evolving to meet the challenges that are coming”
Allison Henry, University of California – Berkeley
Allison has been working in IT at higher education institutions for 20 years, 14 of those years working in information security. At the University of California – Berkeley, she served as a Security Operations Analyst, a Security Operations team manager, and then Associate CISO, in which she managed both operations and assessments and compliance services. Since December 2019, Allison has served as the Chief Information Security Officer.
Allison has been a member of the REN-ISAC community for over 10 years. She has seen firsthand the benefits of information sharing and community building to member institutions, and she wants to widen REN-ISAC’s reach and impact.
“My vision is to reduce barriers to entry and make sure access to REN-ISAC information and services reflect the diverse organizational structures and roles in which modern information security work is performed. I would like to contribute to this work by offering my services to ensure that REN-ISAC services align with the needs of member institutions.”
Jodi Ito, University of Hawaii
Jodi is Chief Information Security Officer of the University of Hawaii (UH) System, which encompasses ten campuses across six islands. She has been with UH since 1982 and became its first Information Security Officer in 2000.
UH joined the REN-ISAC in the mid-2000s, and Jodi can recall attending her first REN-ISAC Member Meeting in 2007. She has seen the REN-ISAC (as well as UH) weather some significant security challenges through the years, during which the REN-ISAC has grown and matured.
“I believe the strength of the REN-ISAC comes from the willingness of its members to share their time, information, and expertise to build and cultivate this trusted community, which is unlike any other ISAC organization. I have benefited greatly from the discussions among the members sharing their collective wisdom and experiences.”
Dave Robinson, Grinnell College
Dave began his career as a medical researcher, and in 2009, he transitioned to information technology. He now serves as Chief Information Officer for Grinnell College, a small liberal arts college. Information security has been an ever-increasing part of his technology roles, and in his current position, he oversees Grinnell’s institutional cybersecurity program.
Grinnell has been a REN-ISAC member for only four years, but under Dave’s leadership, it has become a very active member. For example, Grinnell had a role in the planning and hosting the 2021 Blended Threat Workshop Series.
“I would like to see REN-ISAC as a sustainable, accessible resource to all of the research and education community, building and expanding programs and governance based on its constituents needs. Members – new and existing – will continue to be heavily involved with shaping the ISAC, which in turn will be more proactive in procuring that involvement.”
Joel Rosenblatt, Columbia University
Joel has built his expertise at Columbia University for the past 45 years. He started as a mainframe systems programmer in 1977 and has advanced to Director of Computer and Network Security. He also helps train future generations as a professor of Intrusion Detection Systems.
“I have been a part of REN-ISAC since it was started and am a strong believer in the sharing of information and knowledge. I am interested in seeing REN-ISAC continue in its leadership role in the education of current and future security professionals.”
*In addition to the elected members, the Steering Committee consists of representatives from the REN-ISAC staff, organizational chairs, and partnership representatives. For a full list of all elected and non-elected members, visit our Steering Committee webpage.