Notre Dame College Trustee Kirk Herath, J.D., has been appointed cybersecurity strategic advisor for the State of Ohio by Ohio Governor Mike DeWine.
In this new position, Herath will guide Ohio’s wide-ranging cybersecurity efforts across agencies, including the Adjutant General’s Office, the Ohio Department of Administrative Services and the Ohio Department of Public Safety.
“Kirk Herath has decades of experience in cybersecurity and data privacy. I am pleased that Kirk will bring this expertise to the State to ensure Ohio leads the nation in cybersecurity and resiliency and its cybersecurity workforce,” DeWine said in a statement.
Herath was named to the Notre Dame Board of Trustees in 2021. Notre Dame recently launched a cybersecurity major and opened the first of multiple high-tech interactive learning spaces in its $400,000, three-phase project in support of this new bachelor’s degree and related intelligence programs.
He already serves as chair of CyberOhio, the State of Ohio’s Cybersecurity Advisory Board, established as a collection of cybersecurity initiatives aimed at helping Ohio businesses and private companies fight back against cyberattacks. Since the start of the DeWine Administration, CyberOhio’s advisory board has been housed within InnovateOhio.
Herath is retired as vice president, associate general counsel and chief privacy officer for Nationwide after 32 years. Most recently, Kirk served as a Principal at Pillars Consulting Group, where his practice focused on data protection organization design, privacy practices and cybersecurity law. He also served on the U.S. Department of Homeland Security’s Data Privacy and Integrity Advisory Committee from 2005 to 2011.
He serves as an adjunct instructor at both Ohio State’s Moritz College of Law and Cleveland State’s Cleveland-Marshall College of Law.
“Kirk Herath is a skilled leader in cybersecurity and we have been very fortunate to have his expertise for many years as a part of both the CyberOhio and InnovateOhio advisory boards,” said Lt. Governor Jon Husted in a statement. “I’m grateful Kirk is willing to continue putting his many years of experience to use on behalf of all Ohioans.”
Herath received undergraduate degrees in political science and history from the University of Cincinnati and has a master’s degree in international affairs from the American University in Washington, D.C. He holds a Juris Doctorate from Capital University Law School in Columbus and is admitted to the Ohio Bar.
He also is a Certified Information Privacy Professional/U.S. and Certified Information Privacy Professional/Government.
May 2022
About Notre Dame College
Notre Dame College is a private, Catholic, liberal arts college in South Euclid, Ohio, committed to teaching students how to make a good living and live a good life. Founded by the Sisters of Notre Dame in 1922, the College offers bachelor’s degrees in 30 disciplines plus a variety of master’s degrees, certification programs and continuing and professional development programs for adult learners on campus and online. For more information, visit NotreDameCollege.edu.