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Executive Director, Cybersecurity @Cengage
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WORK HISTORY
Executive Director, Cybersecurity @Cengage
As Executive Director of Cybersecurity at Cengage Group, I led a global team of 25 engineers and analysts in building and executing a comprehensive enterprise security strategy grounded in the NIST Framework. I designed and deployed security programs across AWS, Azure, IAM, application security, and incident response, significantly reducing organizational risk and strengthening our digital resilience. My accomplishments include-Created a hybrid Security Operations Center (SOC) through strategic MSSP partnership, establishing 24x7 coverage, which decreased response times by 75% and expanded visibility across the digital attack surface-Authored and institutionalized a formal Incident Response (IR) plan, collaborating with Legal, Privacy, and Communications teams, and conducted regular cross-functional tabletop exercises, achieving a record of zero notifiable data breaches or material incidents throughout leadership tenure-Spearheaded a comprehensive application security testing program, leveraging AI and integrated with the software development lifecycle (SDLC) and based on OWASP standards, which significantly enhanced the security posture of customer-facing learning platforms through rigorous threat modeling and vulnerability assessments-Evaluated, deployed, and integrated a comprehensive cybersecurity technology stack (Wiz, ProofPoint, SentinelOne, CyberArk, Palo Alto, Rapid7, Okta, Splunk, Recorded Future), elevating the organization\'s cybersecurity program maturity and operational effectiveness-Collaborated with cross-functional teams to integrate security into architectural planning and design, meeting regulatory requirements, and championed a \'security by design\' mindset, culminating in successful SOC 2 Type 2 audits for three distinct customer-facing learning platforms.
EDUCATION
Cornell University
Bachelor of Science (BS)
SKILLS
ABOUT PETER SAMS
I am a versatile technology leader passionate about securing and optimizing digital environments. With extensive experience leading high-performing teams in Cybersecurity and Information Technology, I excel in developing and implementing robust security programs across application security, environmental security, IAM, cloud hosting, and incident management. I thrive on deploying innovative security solutions, elevating employee cybersecurity awareness, and ensuring organizational resilience. My strong background in IT infrastructure design and support, combined with hands-on disaster recovery planning, enables me to build reliable and secure systems. Holding a BS in Operations Research and Industrial Engineering from Cornell University and a CISSP certification, I am dedicated to staying at the forefront of evolving technology and security landscapes. Throughout my career, I have successfully led large teams, orchestrated complex security initiatives, and fostered a \'security by design\' culture across diverse organizations. At Cengage Group, I led a team of 25 cybersecurity engineers and analysts, deploying the NIST Framework and establishing a hybrid SOC that significantly enhanced threat visibility and response times. My efforts in integrating advanced security tools, enhancing application security, and improving incident response process resulted in a resilient security posture with zero notifiable data breaches or material incidents during my tenure. Previously, I directed IT infrastructure for Dassault Systems, managing high-availability cloud and on-premises solutions, and led global initiatives ensuring seamless integration and continuity. My leadership style emphasizes cross-functional collaboration, vendor management, and continuous improvement to drive security maturity. As a CISSP-certified executive leader, I possess core competencies in the following areas-Cybersecurity program development -Risk management -Cloud security (AWS, Azure)-SOC operations -Incident Response -Global project management -Coaching & developing talent -Application security -Identity and access management (IAM)-Security Engineering Companies where I’ve made a positive impact include Cengage Group, Dassault Systemes, and SolidWorks. Let\'s connect to explore how I can help drive your organization\'s security and tech initiatives forward.
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