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Wyoming's Approach to Cybersecurity

Chief Information Officer Tony Young talks about how recent breaches impact the state’s data privacy strategy.

Wyoming CIO Tony Young
Wyoming CIO Tony Young
Jessica Mulholland/Government Technology
At the annual NASCIO conference in Austin earlier this month, Wyoming Chief Information Officer Tony Young addressed the most pressing issue on his mind and on the minds of his peers. Recent breaches in the news, most notably Equifax, have helped make the case for more focused efforts around cybersecurity. 

"We're also going to ask for some additional funding for training and some tools to help us in that area," Young said, "but it [the Equifax breach] definitely stresses the fact that we need to remain on top of this at all times, particularly for the data of our constituents, the data for agencies and personal data throughout the state."

Fletcher named new state CISO

Part of the state's cybersecurity plans, as Young alludes to in the video, include the recent hire of a new chief information security officer. Incoming CISO Arlen Fletcher, former director of information security and compliance with Gonzaga University, will assume the role on Nov. 1. He will work with Young in the Wyoming Department of Enterprise Technology Services.

Fletcher comes to state government following a nearly five-year stint at Gonzaga in Spokane, Wash. Fletcher brings almost two decades of experience in information security to the role, with stints in both higher education and the private sector. In addition to his time at Gonzaga, Fletcher has previously helmed information security for the University of Denver.

 

Noelle Knell is the executive editor for e.Republic, responsible for setting the overall direction for e.Republic’s editorial platforms, including Government Technology, Governing, Industry Insider, Emergency Management and the Center for Digital Education. She has been with e.Republic since 2011, and has decades of writing, editing and leadership experience. A California native, Noelle has worked in both state and local government, and is a graduate of the University of California, Davis, with majors in political science and American history.