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In this insightful Candid CISO episode, John Donovan interviews Carlota Sage, a vCISO with a unique, multifaceted background in tech and cybersecurity. They discuss the strengths and challenges of the vCISO role versus full-time CISO positions,...
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Producer & Co-Host
Steve is the Founder and Principal Consultant at Identient, where he specializes in identity and access management (IAM) and cybersecurity strategy, helping organizations modernize and secure their digital environments. With a career that includes key roles at VMware, US Bank, and the Big 4, Steve has led major security initiatives and advised top-tier clients, including government agencies and Fortune 500 companies. As the producer and host of the Candid CISO and Nonconformist Innovation podcasts, he shares expert insights on the latest trends in business and leadership.
Steve’s thought leadership, innovative approach, and hands-on expertise make him a trusted advisor and strategist in the security community. He holds a degree in IT from the University of Phoenix and an MBA from Santa Clara University, combining technical depth with business acumen to tackle today’s most pressing security challenges. Steve’s unique perspective bridges the gap between business needs and cutting-edge security solutions, positioning him as a leading voice in the industry.
CISO & Co-Host
John Donovan is an active member of the cyber-security community in the San Francisco Bay Area and beyond. He is an investor and advisor to security technology companies and is a founding member of SVCI. John has been a speaker and participant in webinars, private events, and conferences such as RSA Conference, Defcon, BSides, FWD:cloudsec, Identity World, and Cornerstones of Trust.
John is passionate about developing the next generation of cyber-security engineers and leaders. He has partnered with businesses, non-profits, and educational institutions to bring content and opportunities to students and people looking to break into cybersecurity. He is a founding board member of ISLF and is a Shepard for the Wall of Sheep and the Packet Hacking Village at DEFCON. John is past president and director-at-large for the Silicon Valley chapter of ISSA. He has been active with ISSA International and was awarded the top honor of ISSA Distinguished Fellow at the ISSA Award’s Gala at Black Hat in August 2023.
In his day job, John builds and runs security, risk, and information technology programs. Currently, John is helping bring proactive and preventative controls to the cloud as CISO and Co-founder of InstaSecure, an early-stage cloud security startup. Past roles include developing and managing Security, Risk Management, IT, and Engineering teams for Malwarebytes, Illumio, Veracode, NetApp, Xilinx, iBuilding, and other security and tech companies.
