Our Team

Our Team is Your Cybersecurity Team

When you sign with Fractional CISO, you’re adding a U.S.-based two-person cybersecurity team to your organization, consisting of an experienced Virtual CISO and a skilled cybersecurity analyst.

In addition to your assigned team, you gain access to the collective expertise of everyone at Fractional CISO. We are a deeply collaborative organization, and if you need something specific – we tap the right person to work on your behalf.

We’re proud to hire smart, skilled employees and work hard to retain them.
Learn more about our awesome crew below.

Cybersecurity Experts

Rob Black, CISSP

Founder & CEO

Rob Black, CISSP Founder & CEO

Rob founded Fractional CISO in 2017 and has helped dozens of companies improve their security posture as a vCISO. He consults, speaks, and writes on IoT and security. Rob has held product security and corporate security leadership positions at PTC ThingWorx, Axeda and RSA Security. He received his MBA from the Kellogg School of Management and holds two Bachelor of Science degrees from Washington University in St. Louis: Computer Science and System Science & Engineering. He is also a Certified Information Systems Security Professional (CISSP).

RJ Russell, CISSP

VP & vCISO Principal

RJ Russell, CISSP VP & vCISO Principal

As a Virtual CISO, RJ helps clients understand and manage their cybersecurity risk. He has previously worked in financial services managing the security and infrastructure of State Street’s CRD investment management SaaS platform. He also has more than 20 years of experience supporting enterprise production environments across several industries. RJ received his Bachelor of Science in Mechanical Engineering degree from Purdue University. He also is a Certified Information Systems Security Professional (CISSP).

Dan Bjorklund, CISSP, CMMC-CCP

vCISO Principal

Dan Bjorklund, CISSP, CMMC-CCP vCISO Principal

Dan is a vCISO Principal for Fractional CISO. In this role, he provides strategic guidance and instruction to help clients build and manage their security and compliance programs. Dan served in the U.S. Army for 20+ years and entered the information security industry shortly after retiring from service. He has helped many Department of Defense contractors and commercial SMBs with their security and compliance programs. He has a master’s degree in Information Security from Capella University, is a Certified Information Systems Security Professional (CISSP) and is a CMMC Certified Professional (CCP).

David Lin, CISSP, CIPM, CDPSE, CISM, CRISC, QTE

vCISO Principal

David Lin, CISSP, CIPM, CDPSE, CISM, CRISC, QTE vCISO Principal

As a vCISO Principal, David Lin provides strategic information security and governance guidance to Fractional CISO’s clients. From hands-on-keyboard sysadmin to enterprise management teams, he has nearly 30 years of experience in helping clients move from crisis to steady state. David has made significant contributions while holding leadership positions at Deloitte, Sony Pictures Entertainment, and as the CISO for the Gemological Institute of America. He holds a Master of Science in Information & Computer Sciences from UC Irvine, and several certifications from ISC2, ISACA, and IAPP.

Aimee Cardwell, CISSP

vCISO Principal

Aimee Cardwell, CISSP vCISO Principal

As a vCISO Principal at Fractional CISO, Aimee Cardwell leverages her 30 years of technology and cybersecurity experience to help clients manage and mitigate cyber risks. She previously served as EVP & CISO at UnitedHealth Group, where she transformed the cybersecurity landscape and supported business expansion through acquisitions. Aimee’s career includes leadership roles at American Express, eBay, and Netscape, where she drove innovation and product development. She holds two patents in blockchain and payment processing.

Alan McDermott, CISSP, CIPP/C, CISA

vCISO Principal

Alan McDermott, CISSP, CIPP/C, CISA vCISO Principal

As a Virtual CISO, Alan provides strategic guidance to executive teams. He is a skilled communicator, capable of helping key stakeholders make the best security decisions for their organization. Alan has over a decade of experience serving as a CISO in a number of industries, including insurance, IT data, and fintech. Alan has an MBA from Wilfrid Laurier University and two undergraduate degrees in computer science and commerce. Alan is based in Toronto, Canada, and boasts CISSP, CIPP/C, and CISA among his many security certifications.

Chinmayee Paunikar, CISSP

Cybersecurity Operations Manager

Chinmayee Paunikar, CISSP Cybersecurity Operations Manager

Chinmayee helps companies develop and manage their cybersecurity programs. Chinmayee has assisted multiple companies achieve their SOC 2 certification goals. She also performs vulnerability assessments and quantitative risk assessments for organizations. Chinmayee is a Certified Information Systems Security Professional (CISSP) and Cisco Certified Network Associate (CCNA). Chinmayee received a Master of Science degree in Computer Engineering from New York University and a bachelor’s degree in Electronics Engineering from University of Mumbai.

Samantha Pyrcz, CISSP

Manager, Cybersecurity Analysts

Samantha Pyrcz, CISSP Manager, Cybersecurity Analysts

As the Manager of Cybersecurity Analysts, Samantha helps with training, guidance, and enablement of the analyst team. Samantha has been employed at Fractional CISO since 2019 and previously worked as a cybersecurity analyst herself. She has worked at Hewlett Packard Enterprise’s Global Security department and Centene Corporation’s Cybersecurity Incident Response Team (CSIRT). Samantha is a Certified Information Systems Security Professional (CISSP). She has a bachelor’s degree from Western Governor’s University in Cybersecurity and Information Assurance.

Sean Kelley

Senior Cybersecurity Analyst

Sean Kelley Senior Cybersecurity Analyst

As a senior cybersecurity analyst, Sean is focused on detecting and quantifying risk for clients. He has a strong background in software development, having worked as a quality assurance tester and a software engineer. Sean has a bachelor’s degree in Computer Science from the University of Massachusetts Amherst and is pursuing a Master’s in Computer Science at Brandeis University.

Owen Wight

Cybersecurity Analyst

Owen Wight Cybersecurity Analyst

As a cybersecurity analyst, Owen helps companies secure themselves by collecting and evaluating security program data. In college, he researched and developed improvements for cyber ranges used in capture-the-flag competitions and hackathons. Owen has a Bachelor’s degree in Computer Science Engineering, with a focus in cybersecurity, from University of Connecticut.

Meghana Mummidi

Cybersecurity Analyst

Meghana Mummidi Cybersecurity Analyst

Meghana helps clients run their compliance programs and meet frameworks such as SOC 2 and ISO 27001. She has hands-on-keyboard experience as a cybersecurity and SOC analyst, conducting penetration tests, network analysis, and implementing security tools. Meghana has a bachelor’s degree in Computer Science from Aditya University and a master’s degree in Cybersecurity from Northeastern University. Her certifications include CompTIA Security+ and ISC2 CC.

Business Team

Brad Lauer

Vice President of Business Operations

Brad Lauer Vice President of Business Operations

As the Senior Director of Business Operations, Brad is helping to improve Fractional CISO’s internal operations and to make the business more scalable. He is responsible for Fractional CISO’s finances, recruiting, and more. Brad has more than a decade of experience in growing small businesses. In his career, he has led technology, marketing, and operations teams to success. Brad has studied politics, government, and history at Regis University and Harvard University.

Blane Erwin

Senior Marketing Manager

Blane Erwin Senior Marketing Manager

Blane leads Fractional CISO’s editorial efforts, helping the team share their cybersecurity knowledge on the blog and monthly newsletter, Tales from the Click. Blane has a background in digital marketing and broadcast journalism. Before joining the Fractional CISO team, he helped run the marketing for electric vehicle retailer Current Automotive, and was a television news reporter for NCTV17. Blane has a bachelor’s degree in Broadcast Communication from North Central College.

Meghan Durkee

Sales and Operations Coordinator

Meghan Durkee Sales and Operations Coordinator

Meghan keeps Fractional CISO running smoothly behind the scenes while leading sales initiatives that connect clients with the right cybersecurity solutions. Detail-oriented and supportive, she ensures both the team and our clients have what they need to succeed. With over a decade of experience across diverse corporate environments, Meghan brings structure, empathy, and steady leadership to every part of the operation.

Kevin Walsh

Technical Project Coordinator

Kevin Walsh Technical Project Coordinator

Kevin is the Technical Project Coordinator for Fractional CISO. In this role, he handles the company’s IT needs. He has a strong technical background, having spent over 10 years at Grasshopper watching it transform from an independent start-up to a powerful service acquired by Citrix, then LogMeIn. He has a bachelor’s degree in management from Bridgewater State University.

Jarlyn Relova

Operations & Innovation Manager

Jarlyn Relova Operations & Innovation Manager

Jarlyn Relova keeps Fractional CISO running smoothly behind the scenes, coordinating operations and overseeing internal processes. She brings nearly two decades of experience in IT operations and workflow automation, having advanced from IT operator to IT supervisor and batch administrator during 18 years with her previous employer. Jarlyn earned her Bachelor of Science in Computer Science from Informatics International College.

Jasper Outlaw

Outbound Sales Lead

Jasper Outlaw Outbound Sales Lead

As Fractional CISO’s Outbound Sales Lead, Jasper owns business outreach. She connects with and educates business leaders on a variety of governance, risk, and compliance (GRC) topics. She has over six years of experience in enterprise account management and sales, and has enjoyed working in high-growth environments; before joining Fractional CISO, Jasper enjoyed the thrill of scaling with Tive through their multiple rounds of VC funding.

Elazje Carillo

Digital Advertising Specialist

Elazje Carillo Digital Advertising Specialist

Elazje supports Fractional CISO’s marketing program by running digital advertising campaigns, writing copy, and planning visual creative. She has a long agency background, having supported customer marketing programs for over 10 years, and now brings that experience to Fractional CISO. Elazje has bachelors degrees in Literature and Secondary Education from Philippine Normal University.