Executive record
John Godfrey
Career profile: John Godfrey on CISO Spotlights ↗
John Godfrey was named Chief Information Security Officer at State of Kansas. The appointment was announced on February 2, 2024, per GovTech.
Before the appointment: CISO-in-residence, LionHeart Cybersecurity Advisors, per the same source.
The record holds no later verification of the seat.
1 tracked move on the Wire · Updated
Career timeline
Every move the record holds for John Godfrey, newest first, with the earlier roles the announcements name.
· Appointment
Named Chief Information Security Officer at State of Kansas
Source: GovTech ↗ · Move record
Before February 2024· Earlier role
CISO-in-residence, LionHeart Cybersecurity Advisors
Named in the announcement of the State of Kansas appointment · Source: GovTech ↗
The appointment
Announced February 2, 2024 · Source: GovTech ↗ · Move record
Kansas Governor Laura Kelly announced the appointment of John Godfrey as the state's Chief Information Security Officer. Godfrey takes over for Jeff Maxon, who moved to the role of state Chief Information Technology Officer.
According to GovTech, Godfrey will head the Kansas Information Security Office as that office develops and puts in place strategies for cybersecurity and information security. GovTech reports that Maxon had held the CISO post since July 2020 before his move to the chief information technology officer role. According to GovTech, Maxon kept carrying out his CISO duties after being appointed to the CITO role, until a permanent security officer was named.
GovTech reports that Godfrey founded LionHeart Cybersecurity Advisors in Kansas City, Kan., where he also served as CISO-in-residence. According to GovTech, Godfrey has also worked with a number of the state’s Regents universities. At the University of Kansas Medical Center, where he spent more than 10 years, Godfrey was CISO and associate vice chancellor for information security for six years, GovTech reports. At Kansas State University, he spent over five years working as an information security analyst, a systems administrator and a senior cybersecurity engineer, according to GovTech. GovTech reports that in 2021 Godfrey sat on the Governor’s Cybersecurity Task Force and chaired its Statewide Communication and Collaboration Subcommittee.
According to GovTech, Godfrey has a Bachelor of Science from Fort Hays State University in justice studies and information networking and telecommunications, and another in IT from American InterContinental University. Capital Technology University awarded him a Master of Science in information assurance, according to GovTech. At the time of the report, Godfrey was studying at Capital Technology University for a Doctor of Science in cybersecurity, GovTech reported.
Godfrey said in the announcement that the KISO has been building a statewide cyber community that takes in all 105 counties, GovTech reports.
The company: State of Kansas
- Region
- North America
- Company record
- Who runs security at State of Kansas: 1 confirmed move on the record
Appointed in the same period
Other security chiefs in Government & Public Sector whose appointment was announced within 90 days of John Godfrey's, nearest first. The Government & Public Sector bench
Hemant Baidwan, Chief Information Security Officer at U.S. Department of Homeland Security
John Toney, Chief Information Security Officer at State of Vermont
Record facts
- Moves on the record
- 1 confirmed move, each with its source
- On the record since
- September 30, 2026
- Government & Public Sector in 2026
- 14 security-leadership appointments announced in the sector on the record
Questions about John Godfrey
- When did John Godfrey become CISO of State of Kansas?
- The appointment was announced on February 2, 2024, per GovTech. The record holds the announcement, not a start date.
- Is John Godfrey still the CISO of State of Kansas?
- The newest source the record holds for this seat is the appointment announced on February 2, 2024. It holds no later verification, so it does not state who holds the seat today.
- What was John Godfrey's role before this appointment?
- Before the appointment, John Godfrey was CISO-in-residence, LionHeart Cybersecurity Advisors, according to the announcement (GovTech).
Sources
- 1.GovTech ↗: the appointment at State of Kansas, February 2, 2024
- 2.CISO Spotlights career profile ↗: a fuller career profile on a sister site
This record begins with CISO Tribune's tracking in 2026.
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