CISOs Connect Opens 2026 A100: CISOs Top 100 Accelerated CISOs Awards (A100) as AI Reshapes Cybersecurity and Business on a Daily Basis

NEW YORK, April 28, 2026 /PRNewswire/ -- CISOs Connect today announced the opening of nominations for the 2026 A100: CISOs Top 100 Accelerated CISOs Awards (A100), recognizing CISOs who are driving meaningful impact within their organizations and across the security community. The A100 Awards highlight CISOs who demonstrate effective leadership and the ability to guide organizations through a period where AI has fundamentally altered the security and business landscape.

Nominate here: https://cisosconnect.awardsplatform.com/

The A100 Awards are entirely merit-based. There is no pay-for-play or sponsorship influence in the nomination, evaluation, or selection process. Honorees are selected exclusively on merit by a panel of sitting CISOs.

The 2026 judging committee includes:
Anthony Candeias – CISO, Leading Hedge Fund
Chrisma Jackson – Director of Nuclear Deterrent Futures, Sandia National Laboratories
Colin Anderson – SVP & CISO, Dayforce
Don Baham – CISO, Rubicon Founders
Donna Ross – EVP & CISO, Radian
Janette Barretto – Head of Security, Yazaki
Joshua Roth – CISO, CHOC Children's
Kris Burkhardt – CISO, Accenture
Michael Calderin – CISO, Barnes Aerospace
Nikk Gilbert – CISO, RWE
Ravi Mani – SVP & CISO, Quest Diagnostics
Robert Pace – VP, Information Security | CISO, Invitation Homes
Sahan Fernando – CISO, Rady Children's Hospital San Diego
Sam Masiello – Chief Information Security and Privacy Officer, The Anschutz Corporation
Scot Miller – VP & CISO, Mr. Cooper Group

Nominations open at a time when AI is reshaping cybersecurity and business operations in ways that have permanently altered expectations for leadership. The change is structural, not cyclical — altering how threats form, how organizations operate, and how decisions are made. As AI becomes embedded across every function, CISOs are being asked to think further ahead, anticipate broader implications, and guide their organizations toward stability and growth in a transformed environment.

To ensure the A100 reflects this change, nominees must meet specific eligibility criteria. Honorees must be sitting CISOs with fewer than five years in the role, demonstrating measurable impact on their organizations and the ability to lead through the evolving expectations placed on the CISO role today.

As organizations adapt to this shift, CISOs are increasingly expected to interpret emerging patterns, understand the business impact of new technologies, and provide guidance that supports both resilience and long-term strategy. These technologies are not security tools — they are enterprise-level changes reshaping how entire industries function.

Sam Masiello said, "AI has changed what it means to lead security. CISOs now have to look further ahead than ever before — not just managing today's risks, but anticipating how the entire environment will shift. The A100 recognizes the leaders who can see what's coming and prepare their organizations for it."

Alongside the A100 honorees, the C100 CISOs — those with more than five years in the role — represent the full range of leadership shaping how organizations respond to the changes AI is driving across industries. These awards highlight the knowledge sharing, judgment, and leadership these executives contribute to the broader community as they help guide organizations through this period of transformation.

Don Baham noted, "The role of the CISO has expanded beyond security. We're being asked to understand the business impact of AI, guide strategy, and help shape how our organizations adapt. The A100 honorees reflect that evolution — they're the ones already operating with that forward-looking mindset."

David Cass, President of CISOs Connect and CISO of Keyrock, said: "AI has reshaped the environment in which CISOs operate. The A100 Awards have become a trusted signal of who is prepared to lead in this new landscape — CISOs who can adapt quickly, think strategically, and guide their organizations through continuous change. Recognition here matters because there is no commercial consideration involved — it is entirely based on peer evaluation."

Aimee Rhodes, CEO of CISOs Connect, added: "As we open nominations for the 2026 A100 Awards, we're operating in a world where AI has transformed how organizations function. This isn't a temporary adjustment — it's a lasting shift. The CISOs we honor this year are the ones who can interpret that change and lead their organizations through it."

About CISOs Connect™
CISOs Connect™ is an exclusive, membership-only interactive community of trusted cyber peers and subject-matter experts. It enables security leaders to share knowledge and expertise through proprietary content, research, analysis, and intelligence, while providing a forum for collaboration with trusted colleagues to make informed business and technology decisions. CISOs Connect™ and Security Shark Tank® are lauded for their CISO–driven content, knowledge sharing, and community. The company is purpose-built and led by top global CISOs and subject matter experts, with a differentiated focus on advancing the business through security and technology, as well as through professional development, practical leadership insight, training, and content that reflects the realities of the role.

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SOURCE CISOs Connect