On April 24, Zscaler, Inc. announced the appointment of Sean Connelly as executive director, global zero trust strategy and policy. In this role, Connelly will support U.S. federal agencies as they continue to strengthen zero trust environments, and U.S. allies around the world who are likewise working to modernize cybersecurity infrastructure with zero trust and secure access service edge (SASE).
With two decades in government service, Connelly has led many of the major federal cybersecurity initiatives. He most recently served as the Trusted Internet Connections (TIC) program manager and senior cybersecurity architect at the Cybersecurity and Infrastructure Security Agency (CISA). Involved with the TIC program since its inception, Connelly shepherded its evolution to the current TIC 3.0 iteration, making it possible for agencies to transition from outdated perimeter-based defenses to more modern and secure frameworks. As a board member for the Technology Modernization Fund, he collaborated with federal leaders to direct critical funding toward advancing the nation’s technological infrastructure, which enabled agencies to support and grow their missions.
Connelly has been a prolific advocate for federal zero trust adoption, from his co-authorship of NIST Special Publication 800-207 on Zero Trust Architecture, to his leadership of the recent launch of CISA’s Zero Trust Maturity Model last year. He served as the inaugural director of CISA’s Zero Trust Initiative Office, providing agencies with comprehensive zero trust implementation training and resources.
“Sean Connelly’s vision has significantly advanced our nation’s ability to deliver modern digital government services,” said Stephen Kovac, global chief compliance officer, Zscaler. “He will lead international efforts as Zscaler expands zero trust and SASE support for U.S. allies, bringing essential policy, technology, and operational insights.”
“My federal career was devoted to fostering secure and efficient technology to improve public access to services, information, and funds to benefit our nation and allies,” said Connelly. “Today’s environment is more distributed, diverse, dynamic, and encrypted than ever before, making zero trust implementation mission-critical for governments around the world. Zscaler has been a frontrunner on SASE and zero trust, and I’m excited to join the team and support continued progress for the U.S. and our allies around the world.”
This news underscores Zscaler’s strong momentum and commitment to advancing zero trust within the United States and across the globe, and comes on the heels of the news that Brian Conrad, former acting FedRAMP director has also joined the company.
Source: Zscaler
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By Loren Blinde
April 25, 2024
