CISO Trainings , Leadership & Executive Communication , Training & Security Leadership

CyberEdBoard Profiles in Leadership: George Chacko

Healthcare Security Leader Shares How to Build Strong Cybersecurity Programs
George Chacko, executive director, information security and compliance, New York Blood Center, and CyberEdBoard member

George Chacko's career path in cybersecurity took him from financial services to a pivotal role at a large nonprofit organization. Starting in security administration with financial groups and moving through Big Four consulting firms, Chacko acquired a wealth of experience before transitioning to the healthcare sector. For the past 11 years, he has led the development of the information security program at New York Blood Center, building it from the ground up.

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Blood centers face unique cybersecurity challenges due to their regional focus and critical role in partnering with hospitals, which makes them a prime target for cybercriminals, Chacko said. About a year ago, he initiated the creation of an informal Information Sharing and Analysis Center for blood centers.

"We have limited budgets and resources, but blood centers as nonprofits have even more," Chacko said. The goal, he said, is to help smaller centers without dedicated information security personnel by tapping into the collective experience and resources of the group.

In this video interview with Information Security Media Group at the 2024 Healthcare Cybersecurity Summit, conducted as part of the CyberEdBoard's ongoing Profiles in Leadership series, Chacko also discussed:

  • Collaborative efforts through an informal ISAC for blood centers;
  • The need to develop programs and security controls that fit the specific needs of the organization;
  • The importance of mentorship in cybersecurity.

Chacko has extensive experience in risk and project management. Prior to New York Blood Center, he was the managing advisor at Deltamine. He is a member of the CyberEdBoard.


CyberEdBoard is ISMG's premier members-only community of senior-most executives and thought leaders in the fields of security, risk, privacy and IT. CyberEdBoard provides executives with a powerful, peer-driven collaborative ecosystem, private meetings and a library of resources to address complex challenges shared by thousands of CISOs and senior security leaders located in 65 different countries worldwide.

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About the Author

Marianne Kolbasuk McGee

Marianne Kolbasuk McGee

Executive Editor, HealthcareInfoSecurity, ISMG

McGee is executive editor of Information Security Media Group's HealthcareInfoSecurity.com media site. She has about 30 years of IT journalism experience, with a focus on healthcare information technology issues for more than 15 years. Before joining ISMG in 2012, she was a reporter at InformationWeek magazine and news site and played a lead role in the launch of InformationWeek's healthcare IT media site.




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