Sean Ventura
Head of Information Security and Compliance (CISO)
KinderCare Learning Companies
Sean Ventura has over 30 years of experience in the Information Technology field, with a focus on information security best practices and compliance. He currently serves as the Head of Information Security and Compliance at KinderCare, one of the nation’s largest accredited early learning education systems, implementing and maintaining the company’s security and compliance.
Learn more about the Chicago CISO community here.
Give us a brief overview of the path that led to your current role.
Prior to KinderCare, I served as the Chief Information Security Officer, at Atmosera, providing security and compliance expert advisory to Atmosera’s clientele. I bring extensive experience in lean team management within infrastructure and security business units, providing a reliable and secure environment across a wide range of regulatory and legal frameworks. I have held progressively more senior roles with ESCO, one the world’s largest steel manufacturer of ground engagement equipment, Gogo Air, providing security advisory and design for all the commercial wireless services, DDB/Omnicom, a worldwide marketing communications firm, as well as financial institutions, and national retail chains.
What is one of your guiding leadership principles?
I believe that my team is what drives their success and mine. I am a firm believer in giving my team the authority and accountability to make decisions around the direction of security in our organization. This drives a sense of ownership around not only our tools and processes, but the overall security of the organization.
What is the greatest challenge CISOs face today, and how are you addressing it?
The speed that technology is changing and the speed of adoption – from AI to Mobile, keeping up with our users, and ensuring their safety through technology – but also training is difficult. It’s important that not only my team is ahead of threats, but that we are translating that to our business users.
What is the key to success for someone just starting out as a CISO?
Relationships. At my level, driving change is done through influence, not rules and policies. You need to build relationships with your business partners, so they are coming along with you on the changes that occur, that often add more complexity to their lives.
How do you measure success as a leader?
My personal measurement of success is when others are invested in security for the organization. There is nothing more satisfying, when some user, or even better a leader in the organization, comes to me bragging about how he caught some social engineering, or noticed something unusual that needed to be looked into. It shows not only that they trust my leadership, and our tools, but also have been learning about what security means and the right steps to take.
What is the value of being a member of Gartner C-level Communities?
One of the largest challenges in security is you are often operating in somewhat of a vacuum. Every environment is different, but the threats and challenges we face are similar. Being able to speak to peers about shared experiences, helps relieve the burden of shouldering such a large task as the protection of data with others, and learn from them on better ways to protect and engage with our users.
Gartner C-level Communities Governing Body members share their insights and leadership perspectives to shape the agendas and topics that address the top priorities impacting business leaders today.
By CISOs, For CISOs®
Join the conversation with peers in your local CISO community.