Oakland County Cybersecurity Expert to Lead Information Privacy & Security for Henry Ford Health System

DETROIT – Addison Township resident Christy Wheaton will be joining Henry Ford Health System as Chief Information Privacy & Security Officer beginning Monday, Jan. 14. 

In this role, Wheaton will provide leadership and oversight in the strategic planning, execution and assessment of the System’s Information Privacy & Security program. Responsibilities include establishing and maintaining a comprehensive program to ensure that all information assets are adequately protected against both current and future internal and external threats.

Wheaton will be responsible for identifying, directing, coordinating, evaluating, and reporting on information privacy and security risks in a manner that meets compliance and regulatory requirements. She also will be responsible for developing and managing budgets, technical recommendations, project prioritization, strategic planning, execution, policies, procedures, guiding practices; and ensuring a strong service culture. 

Wheaton is a digital technology executive and strategic information security specialist with more than 25 years of experience building and leading large-scale global teams and information technology programs. Recognized as a leader with a strong technical foundation, she is an excellent driver of capability and organizational change.

Most recently, she served as Senior Director and Chief Information Security Officer for Meritor, Inc. in Troy, MI, where she successfully established a comprehensive Information Privacy and Security program with her accomplishments recognized with several Meritor CEO Awards. She also is the recipient of the 2018 American Business Awards, Silver Stevie Award for Leadership in NextGen Cybersecurity.

Her current community involvements include serving as a governing body member of Detroit’s CISO Community by Evanta, a Gartner Company; serving on the Neurofibromatosis (NF) Team Foundation Board as board member and treasurer and serving as an avid volunteer for the Children’s Tumor Foundation, which has honored her as the 2016 Volunteer of the Year and the 2015 Top NF Walk Organizer.

Wheaton has a Master of Science degree in Business Administration with a focus on International Leadership and a Bachelor of Science degree in Business Administration, both from Madonna University. She is a Certified Chief Information Security Officer (C|CISO) and Certified Information Systems Security Professional (CISSP).

A Rochester, MI, native, who now resides in Addison Township, she loves the Spartans and our professional sports teams: the Lions, Tigers and Red Wings. She also enjoys volunteering, spending time with her family, and spending time close to nature.

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