Panzura has appointed Katie McCullough to its newly created role of Chief Information Security Officer. Katie will be responsible for security and compliance for the company and customers alike as Panzura continues its ambitious growth trajectory.
Panzura’s appointment of Katie — and the creation of the CISO role — comes at a time when customer data is increasingly under threat from a growing number of sources across a widening attack area.
Cyberthreats like ransomware are rising in number and increasing in sophistication, growing threefold since 2020 according to Forrester.
“Evading cyberthreats is an around-the-clock challenge for customers. The traditional approach for companies has been to move fast to neutralize data threats after they happen,” commented Panzura CEO, Jill Stelfox. “We want a more proactive, intelligent approach to keeping data safe that works better for businesses. We were looking for a leader in the security space who could shape Panzura’s vision for cybersecurity with fresh thinking and a commitment to excellence. Katie was the stand-out candidate and we’re thrilled to welcome her to the team.”
“It’s a privilege to join a fast-growing company with as much potential as Panzura,” said Katie. “Jill and her team have an incredible vision for the future of data management, and I can’t wait to help shape the future of data security.”
Katie joins Panzura with more than 25 years of experience executing and leading security operations, compliance, managed services, and cloud solutions. During her time working for industry-leading companies OneNeck IT Solutions and CDW/Berbee, Katie has time and again proven her strategic leadership creating secure IT environments that enable businesses to run, grow, and transform.
Jill continued, “Our industry is changing. In my role as the only female CEO in data management, I set about creating an equitable, diverse work culture that rewards passion and performance. Katie’s proven ability to develop and implement transformative security strategies through her inspirational, team-centered leadership style makes her a great fit for Panzura.”
Katie’s appointment will further Panzura’s goal to deliver groundbreaking, patented innovation to customers. The company currently holds 37 patents, having recently added two new patents that extend Panzura’s leadership in managing and protecting cloud-based distributed computing environments.