About Paul
Cybersecurity pioneer
Builder of the first cybersecurity program for the national security systems (military, intelligence, and diplomatic) at the White House, and the first program for the largest private sector healthcare provider in the U.S. (HCA Healthcare), Paul Connelly has twenty-eight years in CISO roles at two of the highest-risk organizations in the world. He also spent six years leading a cybersecurity audit and consulting practice at PricewaterhouseCoopers.
Technology and governance expert
Paul has partnered with business and IT leaders for more than 40 years to drive digital transformation, technology, compliance, resilience, and risk management strategies. He also has led data privacy and governance, physical security, and crisis management programs.
Broadly experienced leader
Paul has been the senior civilian leader at a DoD agency at the White House, where he was a Presidential Communications Officer directly supporting three Presidents; an Audit & Business Advisory Services partner at a big four public accounting firm, working with Fortune 500 company leaders and boards; and a C-Level leader at a Fortune 100 company where he was on the CEO’s Operations, Risk, Data Governance, DE&I, Ethics & Compliance, and Crisis Management teams.
In addition to technology, data, and cybersecurity risk, Paul has been at the leadership table for decisions on budget and financial resilience; mergers, acquisitions, divestitures, and partnerships; technology, digital, and data strategies; outsourcing; union activities; regulatory investigations; reorganizations; and response to COVID, cyber attacks, mass-casualty events, natural disasters, and other crises.
Developer of People and Culture
A developer of people and culture - Paul has helped 34 members of his teams rise to CISO positions, taught more than 250 aspiring managers the Model-Netics Management Training program, mentors CISOs as a member of the faculty at IANS (Institute of Advanced Network Security), and develops and instructs cybersecurity programs at Belmont University - where his course "Strategic Cybersecurity Oversight for Business Leaders" is now online. He has also been a leader in ethics & compliance, employee engagement, community service, and Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion programs.
Board Experienced
Paul has more than 25 years of advising and serving on boards - working with medium and large company boards as a partner at PricewaterhouseCoopers, the corporate board and multiple joint venture boards at HCA Healthcare, two not-for-profit boards as an independent director, and currently as a Technical Advisor to the boards of UNOS and the Organ Procurement & Transplantation Network – the public-private system that manages the donation of organs and tissues and their equitable distribution in the U.S.
He is National Association of Corporate Directors (NACD) Directorship Certified, has the NACD certificates for Director Proficiency in Financial Oversight and Cybersecurity Oversight for Directors, and The Wharton School Certificate in ESG for Senior Leaders.
Today
Paul retired from HCA Healthcare in April 2023, and in addition to his work for Belmont University, IANS, and the Dismas, UNOS, and OPTN boards, he is a Senior Advisor to Brighton Park Capital.
Paul and his wife of 42 years have two adult children and live in Nashville, Tennessee, with two dogs and cat.