Clif Triplett

Clif Triplett is the Executive Director for Cybersecurity and Risk Management at Kearney. He has in‑depth knowledge of information technology and global experience spanning the government, oilfield services, tractor, automotive, aerospace, defence and telecommunications sectors. In 2016, Clif worked with the Obama administration to address the cybersecurity challenges brought to light by the US Office of Personnel Management (OPM) data breach, in which 21.5 million individuals’ background investigation records were compromised. He is currently working with a Middle Eastern government to revise and standardise national practices and laws related to data classification and the protection requirements for classified information. 

Clif’s notable engagements include:

• Establishing a process for evaluating new cyber technologies in the US federal government
• Establishing a cybersecurity compensation, recognition and retention strategy for the US federal government
• Consulting with the Italian government on developing an accelerated cybersecurity risk mitigation strategy
• Working with the National Security Agency, Defense Information Systems Agency and the Department of Homeland Security (DHS) in the United States on cybersecurity architecture and priorities
• Working with the National Security Council to establish the basis for the US cyber incident response process model
• Leading the first and only agency to fully implement the DHS cybersecurity initiatives within the Obama administration
• Leading a classified panel consisting of the US intelligence agencies, Cyber Command and DHS that represented the Executive Branch on the US response to cyber threats
• Defining a defence-in-depth architecture and implementation road map for cybersecurity that was implemented at OPM and influential in DHS programs
• Driving changes to the Federal Acquisition Regulation related to procuring IT and cyber technologies
• Co-chairing a council of the major healthcare insurance providers to the US government that examined cyber breach reporting, risk mitigation, best practices and Office of Inspector General assessment criteria and expectations
• Working with the Office of the President, Office of Management and Budget, Government Services Agency and OPM on a strategy to deploy an alternative government identifier across the US federal government, replacing the use of Social Security numbers in a secure and consistent manner.

Before joining Kearney, Clif served as an officer in the US Army Signal Corps, working on top‑secret and other advanced technologies. He has also served as a chief information officer and business unit leader at companies such as General Motors, Baker Hughes and Motorola.