European CISO of the Year 2024 | Visionary Cybersecurity Leader & Executive Coach

I help organisations transform the way they think about cybersecurity — shifting from compliance & controls to culture & resilience.

With over 20 years of experience in information and cybersecurity, I’ve built and led global programs that fuse strategic vision with pragmatic delivery, pairing academic insight with real-world leadership. As a coach and trainer, I’m passionate about turning cybersecurity professionals into trusted business leaders.

📌 What I bring to the table:
•	Recognised as European CISO of the Year 2024, reinforcing my credibility as a top-tier practitioner.
•	A track record of designing and delivering global infosec programmes and teams, driving measurable business impact and fostering organisational transformation.
•	A unique intersection of leadership, organisational behaviour and cybersecurity culture — enabling companies to embed security into their DNA rather than treating it as an add-on.
•	A dynamic speaker and trainer praised for authenticity, inspiration and pragmatism — my sessions blend storytelling, research and leadership lessons to engage diverse audiences and bridge cultural/organisational divides.
•	A mindset of “yes!” to innovation and change — challenging the status quo and driving transformation beyond traditional boundaries.

🔍 How I can help you:
Whether you are looking for a strategic executive to lead cybersecurity through complex change, a coach who can elevate your leadership in a cyber context, or a speaker/trainer who can engage senior teams and multiply their impact — I bring the experience, the network, and the dedication to make it happen.

Let’s connect if you’re seeking a visionary executive or coach who can orchestrate cutting-edge cybersecurity strategy, embed innovation and resilience in your organisation, and help elevate your people and culture for sustained success in today’s digital landscape.

Certified as: CISSP, CISM, CISA, CRISC, CGEIT, CSX-P, CDPSE, CCT, C|EH, E|CSA, L|PT, C|CISO, C|HFI, C|NDA, CIPP/e, CIPM, CIPT, FIP, CCSP, CCSK, S-ISME, S-DPP, C31000, PCS, SABSA

I am a Cybersecurity Rockstar!

Patric Versteeg

Ron Woerner

Forrester

• Leading cybersecurity, risk, and zero trust assessments, baseline analysis, and roadmap development for large government agencies meeting federal requirements and NIST Standards.
• Developing and implementing AI-driven security solutions to fortify infrastructure, manage cyber risks, and prevent vulnerabilities. 
• Advising clients on zero trust implementation programs at the people, process, and technology levels.
This includes providing guidance on zero trust technologies leveraging multiple solutions. 
• Facilitating cohort classes on Zero Trust and cybersecurity for large government agencies, 
including CISA, GSA, NASA, HHS, and SBA. 
• Presented findings to executive and senior level leadership translating technical findings into business terms.
• Facilitated restructuring of the cybersecurity department for a large organization as they transitioned to a centralized model through influence and building relationships at all organizational levels.
• Delivering targeted information security awareness training programs for all employees, contractors and approved system users, and establishing metrics to measure its effectiveness 
• Develop and deliver thought leadership, including creating and providing webinars, writing blog posts, and participating in industry events.
• Supporting the delivery of research-based consulting projects, including conducting intake interviews, analyzing client data, using a published methodology to evaluate client inputs, synthesizing conclusions, and developing recommendations.
https://www.forrester.com/analyst-bio/ron-woerner/BIO20018

Sr Consultant

Bellevue University

•	"Coach Ron" (Ask me why)
•	Top cybersecurity and technology educator for worldwide students. 
•	Advise / coach over 2000 graduate and undergraduate students in IT, MIS, and cybersecurity.
•	Instructed thousands on security risk management, compliance frameworks (NIST, PCI, HIPAA, COBIT, FFIEC, GLBA, etc.), and security management (how to be a CISO)
•	Managed 25+ staff in coordinating Cybersecurity program activities
•	Develop, update and teach all curriculum in the Cybersecurity Studies program including hands-on lab exercises using VMWare, Windows client and server, Linux (Ubuntu, Red Hat, Fedora), and Cisco 
•	Provided instruction on vulnerability and threat analysis, penetration testing, Digital Forensics and Incident Response (DFIR), and ethical hacking and forensics techniques. 
•	Twice led University designation as a DHS Center of Academic Excellence in Cyber Defense (CAE CD)

Professor, CyberSecurity Studies 

(ISC)²

Member of the (ISC)2 North American Advisory Council.

Executive Committee Member

RSA Conference

Featured Speaker and Program Committee member for the world's largest Cybersecurity conference. 
Presented the following sessions at the RSA Conference from 2005 - Present
- "Cybersecurity Tips, Tools, and Techniques" (2018, 2019, 2020) - 
- "Hacking Your Cybersecurity Career" (2020) 
- "Repelling the Wily Insider"
- "Collaborative Risk Management"
- "Security Leadership, Your Secret Weapon"
- "Teaching Kids Real Hacking Skillz"
- "Security Convergence and Total Asset Protection"
- "Surviving a Security Firestorm"
- "Security & Audit, Can They Be Friends"
- "Avoiding the Security Groundhog Day"

Featured Speaker and Program Committee

Cyber-AAA

Website: https://www.cyber-aaa.com/
Videos, Articles, Podcasts & Webinars: https://www.cyber-aaa.com/gallery
•	Acting CISO / vCISO for multiple SMBs - Building organizations and people to be more safe, secure, and smart.
•	Leading cyber assessment, analysis, and risk management across financial, healthcare, utilities, and government sectors. 
•	Expert on performing security and privacy risk analysis, compliance assessments and audits spanning various compliance frameworks (NIST CSF & RMF, FISMA, QECP, FEDRAMP, ISO/IEC 27001, PCI DSS, HIPAA/HITECH, GDPR)
•	Developing and delivering cybersecurity, privacy, and IT education and training content for LinkedIn Learning, Udacity, Cybrary and MISTI.
•	Clients include CyncHealth (NeHII), TalentPlus, Beatrice Community Hospital, Professional Office Services, and the State of Nebraska. 
•	PCI audits and assessments and writing ROCs for medium and large organizations. 
•	Consulting / coaching on cyber security initiatives to best prioritize organizational and security risk saving money, time and resources
•	Leading teams in assessing and improving security architecture and practices for small-medium businesses
•	Provide security solutions to match the organizations security posture using NIST CSF, CIS CSC, PCI DSS, HIPAA/HITECH, GDPR and ISO Standards
•	Writing and implementing technical and managerial security policies
•	Conducting technical security assessments, threat & vulnerability analysis, penetration testing, and application testing using tools such as Kali, Qualys, Nessus, Metasploit, nmap, OWASP, and wireshark
•	Security and leadership education and certification training for CISSP, CISM, CEH, and CompTIA Security+
•	Professional speaker, trainer, writer, podcaster and blogger
I love connecting through LinkedIn and Twitter (@Ronw123)

CEO, President and Chief Cybersecurity Consultant

US CyberPatriot

• Mentoring High School students in cyber defense
• Provides technical instruction on securing Windows client / server and Linux Operating Systems, Cisco Networking, and computer forensics
• Awarded 2013-2014 CyberPatriot Mentor of the Year

Mentor

LinkedIn Learning

Creating and delivering cybersecurity training material. 
 - NIST Cybersecurity Framework for Small & Medium Businesses: https://www.linkedin.com/learning/security-for-the-smb-implementing-the-nist-cybersecurity-framework/
 - NIST Risk Management Framework (in development)
LinkedIn Learning Profile: https://www.linkedin.com/learning/instructors/ronald-woerner

Instructor

TEDx Omaha

Delivered "Hackers Wanted" at TEDx Omaha 2019. 
My idea worth spreading is two-fold: 
    (1) Reframing our view of hackers and 
    (2) Building the next generation of cyber professionals. 
The World needs more hackers

TEDx Speaker

Carlson Rezidor Hotel Group

•	Acts as highest level technical expert for information security solutions, addressing risks through implementation of mitigating controls across systems, applications, and infrastructure.
•	Leads information security planning, defining a long term strategy and unified vision for information security solutions and controls.
•	Provides critical analysis of company-wide information security needs, objectives, functions, features and requirements to design solutions that ensure appropriate risk mitigation.
•	Serves as a team leader in the integration of solutions, constructing processes, developing new architecture and solutions in relationship with other technology domains.

Sr Information Security Architect

•	Acting CISO leading information security initiatives, assessments and solutions for company of 8000 employees
•	Create organizational policies, standards and procedures ensuring compliance with industry standards (e.g., ISO 2700X, NIST, NERC CIP, HIPAA) while reducing technology risk
•	Manage technical security architecture and design projects for Windows Server infrastructure, network management (Cisco and Juniper), and storage (EMC SAN)
•	Assess internal and third party infrastructure risks, threats and vulnerabilities for the CIO and CFO

Information Security Consultant

I am passionate about building organizations and people to be the best they can be. 
As a cybersecurity and technology expert with 20+ years hands-on corporate, government, and academic experience I am a known expert in analyzing cyber risks and managing across the intricate landscape of technology, business, and people. I merge technical, communication, and leadership skills to successfully solve today's toughest security issues. 
🔗Linktr.ee: https://linktr.ee/cyberron
💯 Ask me why I'm known as "Coach Ron." ❓

Whether performing information security risk assessments, working alongside CIOs & CISOs to set and communicate strategic security priorities, or advising board members on effective governance of cyber risks, I love working with business leaders to improve their organization's cybersecurity and risk posture.
Certifications: CISSP, CISM
Connect with me: https://linktr.ee/cyberron
TECHNICAL EXPERTISE
•	Information security leadership, management, administration, consulting, coaching, and analysis - acting CISO / vCISO / ISSO
•	Zero Trust architectures (e.g., SASE, SSE, CASB, DLP), CISA ZTMM, NIST SP 800-207, OMB M-22-09 
•	Risk management methodologies/frameworks (FAIR, NIST CSF & RMF, ISACA COBIT/RiskIT)
•	Compliance  (HIPAA, HITECH, ISO 27001/2/5, NIST SP800-53 & 800-171, DFARS/FedRAMP, PCI DSS)
•	Security assessment tools: NMap, Nessus (Tenable), Metasploit, Social Engineering Toolkit (SET), Wireshark, OWASP ZAP
•	Computer forensics tools: Forensics Toolkit (FTK), OSForensics, The Sleuth Kit
•	Network operations / security (Cisco, Splunk, Checkpoint, Palo Alto) 
•	Windows and Unix / Linux (All distributions) operating system administration
•	Security education, training, and awareness - CISSP, CISM and Security+ instructor

This is a personal account. Views and commentary expressed are my own.

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