CPPA Names Privacy Expert Tom Kemp to Executive Director Role

Tom Kemp, a policy adviser, cybersecurity expert, entrepreneur and author, has been named executive director of the California Privacy Protection Agency (CPPA) by its board of directors.

Kemp, based in Palo Alto, has a deep background in privacy legislation, technology policy and consumer protection.
“I am honored to step into this role at such a critical time for privacy rights,” Kemp said in a news release from the agency. “The CPPA has been at the forefront of consumer privacy protection, and it is a privilege to work on the important issues that impact all Californians. I look forward to working with the agency's board and staff to ensure strong enforcement of our privacy laws and continued leadership in this space.”

In his role, Kemp will be CPPA's point person in its mission to enforce and implement California's privacy laws and ensure the public has a strong understanding of their rights.

“His deep understanding of privacy and cybersecurity, combined with his track record as an executive in the tech industry, make him uniquely suited to lead the agency,” the news release says.

He will begin the role on April 1.

“Kemp has been a leading advocate for stronger privacy laws, playing a key advisory role in the passage of landmark legislation such as the California Privacy Rights Act (Proposition 24), the California Delete Act (SB 362), and the California AI Transparency Act (SB 942),” the release says. “He also advised on bills in other states, including Texas, Nebraska, Vermont, Washington, Illinois and Maryland."

"Mr. Kemp brings valuable experience in privacy and technology policy to the agency," said CPPA board Chair Jennifer Urban. "The board looks forward to collaborating with him as we work to protect Californians' privacy rights."

In addition to his policy experience, Kemp was co-founder and CEO of Centrify (now Delinea), a cybersecurity cloud provider. He also authored Containing Big Tech: How to Protect Our Civil Rights, Economy and Democracy. He holds a Bachelor of Science in computer science and history from the University of Michigan.