Shefali Mookencherry
Chief Information Security Officer
University of Illinois at Chicago
Shefali Mookencherry is a cybersecurity and privacy executive with over 30 years of experience in healthcare, higher education, and consulting. She’s led enterprise-wide security and privacy programs, managed multimillion-dollar budgets, and served as a trusted advisor, CISO and Chief Privacy Officer to boards and executive leadership. She’s taught over 1,000 graduate students on HIPAA and cybersecurity and has been recognized in many thought leadership opportunities.
A fun fact about Shefali, she co-authored a children’s counting book titled ‘Grandpa Blueberry Adventures: A Walk-Through Blueberry Meadow.’ It is sold in many stores, including Amazon.
Learn more about the Chicago CISO community here.
Give us a brief overview of the path that led to your current role.
My journey began in health information management and evolved through roles in security, privacy, IT policy, regulations, compliance, managed care, consulting, and executive leadership. I’ve served as CISO and privacy officer across hospitals, health systems, and consulting firms, building and rebuilding privacy and security programs post-ransomware, leading disaster recovery initiatives, and advising on regulatory compliance. My passion for protecting sensitive data and mentoring others led me to my current dual role at UIC, where I lead both security and privacy strategy and operations.
What is the greatest challenge CISOs face today, and how are you addressing it?
The evolving threat landscape, especially with AI-driven attacks and third-party risks, is a constant challenge. I address this by implementing proactive threat hunting, strengthening vendor risk management, and fostering a culture of security awareness across all levels of the organization.
What is the key to success for someone just starting out as a CISO?
Build strong relationships across the organization. Success in this role requires not only technical acumen but also the ability to influence, educate, and collaborate with diverse stakeholders—from IT to legal to clinical teams.
How do you measure success as a leader?
I measure success by the maturity and resilience of the security and privacy programs I lead, the trust I build with stakeholders, and the growth and engagement of my team. Recognition from peers and increasing requests from industry leaders for my thought leadership—also reflects impact.
What is the value of being a member of Gartner C-level Communities?
The Gartner CISO Community offers a unique platform to exchange ideas with fellow C-level leaders, stay ahead of emerging trends, and foster meaningful peer connections that drive innovation and resilience in our organizations.
Gartner C-level Communities Governing Body members share their insights and leadership perspectives to shape the agendas and topics that address the top priorities impacting business leaders today.
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