As the data-based world evolves by the day, the risk of sensitive data getting compromised continues to grow. To fight back, government offices across the country are hiring dedicated staff to ensure that policies and systems put in place to do the people's business aren't unnecessarily jeopardizing the information of private citizens.
The role is most often called chief privacy officer. In California, three counties — Santa Clara, San Diego and Ventura — have designated privacy officers. Techwire's sister publication Government Technology has a nationwide roundup of jurisdictions, complete with an interactive map. For our California-focused readers, here's who you need to know:
Santa Clara County
Michael Shapiro
Title: Chief Privacy Officer
Date Hired: December 2017
Bio: LinkedIn
Fast Fact: Shapiro previously trained government agencies and corporations on data breaches and program development.
Techwire coverage: "Who's Minding Your Business?"
San Diego County
Bob Borntrager
Title: Chief Compliance and Privacy Officer
Date Hired: December 2002
Bio: LinkedIn
Fast Fact: Borntrager has also served as an instructor of Ethics and Compliance at San Diego State University since 2007.
Ventura County
Robert Wood
Title: Chief Information Security Officer and Privacy Officer and IT Project Management Officer
Date Hired: November 2011
Bio: LinkedIn
Fast Fact: Wood is an instructor and guest lecturer at the University of Southern California, Fullerton College, the University of Evansville and the University of Southern Indiana.
