Recognized for navigating the evolving cybersecurity landscape
City of Raleigh’s Chief Information Security Officer, Marina Kelly was chosen for a third year as a CISOs Connect 2026 CISOs Top Accelerated 100 CISOs (A100) recipient.
The CISO A100 Award honors a diverse group of rising cybersecurity leaders who have served as CISOs (or in equivalent roles) for fewer than five years. Selected through a transparent, merit-based process led by a board of veteran CISOs, these individuals demonstrate strong leadership potential, innovation, and a commitment to collaboration in the face of shared industry threats. Judges noted a marked increase in board-level engagement, cross-functional fluency, and AI governance leadership among this year's applicants.
"It is an honor to be recognized by CISOs Connect among such an accomplished group of security leaders from across the US and Canada,” said Kelly. “I believe the future of cybersecurity is about enabling organizations to innovate with confidence while building resilience against an increasingly complex threat landscape.”
Candidates are recognized not only for navigating the evolving cybersecurity landscape and aligning technology with business strategy, but also for giving back through professional involvement, mentoring, and volunteerism.
“In local government, that means protecting the critical services our communities depend on while creating a foundation of trust that allows technology to improve the lives of those we serve,” said Kelly. “This recognition belongs as much to the City’s exceptional Information Security team, my colleagues, and our partners I work with every day as it does to me."
CISOs Connect is an invitation-only global community that supports the leadership and professional development of senior cybersecurity executives through peer collaboration, executive education, practitioner-led research, and exclusive programs. The organization addresses critical issues such as artificial intelligence, governance, enterprise risk, resilience, board leadership, and emerging technology, while also recognizing excellence through its peer-selected CISO 100 Awards.