Information Security Officer; Cognosante
Leveraging his Management Information Systems degree (now known as Information Technology and Systems), Coney takes part in designing, selecting, implementing and maintaining security controls for major information systems that support federal government contracts. He develops strategies for protecting vulnerable networks after detailed risk assessment. He also guides cross-functional teams in the design, validation, acceptance testing and implementation of secure, networked communications across remote sites to prepare for audits of the U.S. government’s Center for Medicare and Medicaid Services. He works from Carrollton.
What do you enjoy about your current position/profession?
I enjoy the fact that every day I come to work, it is an opportunity for me to experience and learn something new. It is an ever-change profession.
How do you see your profession changing in the next five or 10 years?
The cybersecurity profession will become more proactive in its approach to securing networks. Soon you will need proximity devices to access a building, or data files or personal resources. Chips in credit cards along with PINs, for instance, are the first step to identifying a person either biometrically or through something only that person has.
What is a professional highlight of your career, either where you currently work or in the past?
The professional highlight of my career was when SMU invited me to serve on its Cyber Security Board. This is a position that is by invitation only based on your professional and personal accomplishments.
What characteristics do you look for when hiring people into your workplace?
The characteristics I look for in candidates are the attention they pay in the interview process: Did they do their research on the company and position? The thing that impresses me is when the candidate has a set of questions relevant to the position and company culture. They interview me to make sure they are a good fit for the position and the company, showing they are not just looking for a job.
What makes an effective leader?
You must have a solid faith in your ideas in order that others have faith and follow you. You must be able and willing to make hard choices for the greater good to improve the lives of people around you. You must possess the ability to show respect, empathy and care for those who follow you. As a leader, you must be able to connect in a way that lets others know you understand them and their situation. You must know the strengths and weaknesses of everyone who you manage and that they are the key to your success. You must be able to push people to be the best they can be.
What do you enjoy doing in your free time?
I enjoy traveling; I love the Caribbean. I also enjoy working out, anything athletic, music and supporting those who are less fortunate. Anything I can do to help others is part of my DNA.
