Two Minnesota IT Services Cybersecurity Experts Recognized with Visionary Leadership Awards
11/5/2018 10:13:12 AM
November 5, 2018
St. Paul, MN: Minnesota IT Services (MNIT) is pleased to announce that the Cyber Security Summit recognized two Minnesota IT Services professionals with 2018 Visionary Leadership awards. On October 23rd, Stefanie Horvath, MNIT’s Executive IT Director, was presented with the Governance Champion Visionary Leadership Award, and Neal Dawson, MNIT’s Vulnerability Management Director, was presented with the Security Operations Visionary Leadership Award.
“I am tremendously proud of the talent at MNIT that protects Minnesota and works to strengthen our cybersecurity posture,” said Minnesota IT Services’ Commissioner Johanna Clyborne. “Stefanie Horvath and Neal Dawson are both highly skilled and innovative leaders. Minnesota is fortunate to have their expertise defending state technology services from the ever-changing cybersecurity threat landscape.”
As MNIT’s Executive IT Director, Stefanie Horvath coordinates audits, implements enterprise-wide process improvements, manages consolidation waves, leverages organizational improvements, and leads enterprise-wide projects. Prior to joining MNIT, she was the Chief Information Officer for the Department of Military Affairs, and she currently serves in the Army National Guard.
Neal Dawson leads the Threat and Vulnerability Management Team at MNIT, which works to manage information security risks by identifying security related vulnerabilities on state computer systems. Neal guides his team as they scan state computers, servers, and network devices for known security threats. His team then reviews, prioritizes, and communicates the vulnerability assessment scan results to MNIT’s enterprise and agency-based teams, keeping everyone informed the minute something unusual occurs.
Both Stefanie Horvath and Neal Dawson were nominated by their peers in the industry for their Visionary Leadership Awards.
The Cyber Security Summit, held in Minnesota each year, brings industry, government, and academic cybersecurity interests together in an effort to improve the state of cybersecurity. This past Summit marks its 8th year.
Minnesota IT Services works to protect citizen’s personal information and keep state systems running. Minnesota students and families can /mnit/about-mnit/security/index.jspvisit the MNIT website to get tips and learn more about how the state aims to keep its systems secure.
Minnesota IT Services, led by the state’s Chief Information Officer, is the Information Technology agency for Minnesota’s executive branch, providing enterprise and local IT services to over 70 agencies, boards and commissions. MNIT employs more than 2,000 people across 90 physical locations. Together, we build, maintain, and secure the State’s IT infrastructure, applications, projects and services. MNIT sets IT strategy, direction, policies and standards for enterprise IT leadership and planning. We also serve Minnesotans by connecting all 87 counties, 300 cities, and 200 public higher education campuses across the state on the MNET network. Through public-private partnerships, our team proactively protects the state’s information systems and the private data of 5.5 million Minnesotans.
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Cybersecurity
