John Israel
Chief Information Security Officer
State of Minnesota
John Israel serves as the State of Minnesota's chief information security officer and the assistant commissioner of Minnesota IT Services (MNIT). At MNIT, he leads the state’s executive branch cybersecurity teams, chairs the Minnesota Cybersecurity Task Force, and fosters collaborative efforts to develop effective cybersecurity strategies across all levels of government.
John has over 25 years of IT experience leading, building, and growing cybersecurity and IT functions in municipal, county, and state entities. He also oversees cybersecurity operations for the state and multiple grant-funded outreach programs that provide cybersecurity support and resources to counties, port cities, and tribal nations throughout Minnesota.
At MNIT, John has played a key role in strengthening the state's cybersecurity capabilities, including serving as deputy CISO and leading the Security Operations Center (SOC). He was instrumental in establishing the state's first SOC and developing cybersecurity threat intelligence sharing through the Minnesota Fusion Center, hosted by the Minnesota Bureau of Criminal Apprehension.
Before joining MNIT in 2008, John led IT operations for the Washington County Sheriff's Office. John holds a Bachelor of Arts degree from Concordia University in Saint Paul, a Master of Science degree from Norwich University in Vermont, and a Certified Information Systems Security Professional (CISSP) certification from ISC(2).