Sonja Hammond
VP, CISO
National Veterinary Associates
Sonja Hammond is currently the CISO and VP, IT Architecture & Engineering for National Veterinary Associates.
Sonja is a builder and strategist who believes in "defense in depth." She has worked for CIGNA Healthcare, Callaway Golf, Hewlett-Packard, and EssilorLuxottica (maker of Oakley and Ray-Ban). Sonja is one of the authors in The CISO Mentor and she encourages women in technology by frequently speaking on, "Don't Let Your Obstacles Define You!".
Learn more about the Dallas CISO community here.
Give us a brief overview of the path that led to your current role.
My undergraduate degree was focused on computer science, and I followed that with an MBA. I've worked in Information Technology for over 30 years, and in my early years, I worked my way up from help desk to desktop support to configuration management. I managed infrastructure teams to include systems, network and database. Mid-career, I started dabbling in forensics and quickly found a home in information security. Over the last 16-years, that has transitioned to cybersecurity where I focus on data security, SecOps, GRC, and privacy.
What is one of your guiding leadership principles?
Security can't become so overbearing that it stops the business from making money.
What is the greatest challenge CISOs face today, and how are you addressing it?
Demonstrating ROI for cybersecurity is difficult. I focus on likelihood and impact.
What is the key to success for someone just starting out as a CISO?
It's important to walk softly, but carry a big stick!
How do you measure success as a leader?
I measure success by how many people will follow me as a leader from company to company. I also measure success by how few security events are experienced under my watch.
Evanta 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.