Board of Directors

Valerie Abend is the CEO of FS-ISAC. She is a globally recognized cybersecurity and resilience expert with more than 30 years of experience in the private and public sectors, including as an industry practitioner, board director, advisor and consulting practice leader, and public servant.

Previously, Abend was a Senior Managing Director at Accenture, leading the Global Financial Services Security practice, where she advised C-Suite executives, Boards of Directors, and policymakers on managing and overseeing cyber risk and resilience. She has also served on various boards around the world, including the Cloud Security Alliance and the Monetary Authority of Singapore’s Cyber Security Advisory Panel.

Prior to joining Accenture, Abend led efforts to improve the security and resilience of the financial system at various financial authorities and as a Managing Director at Bank of New York Mellon. She has testified before Congress and is frequently quoted in the media on cybersecurity issues.

Prior to joining Northern Trust, Kristina was the CISO at CRC Group
Insurance where she led the divestiture from Truist Bank and built the first
security program for the standalone company. Before moving to CRC,
Kristina was the Head of Information Security Governance and Cyber Risk
Standards at AIG where she oversaw governance, board reporting, and
regulatory engagement. In addition, she served as the primary liaison to
AIG’s Global Cyber Insurance practice and was responsible for identifying
and developing cyber risk standards, best practices, and strategies around
technology and cybersecurity with the goal of improving underwriting
efforts. Kristina was also Senior Vice President for Information Security and
Cyber Policy at Wells Fargo. She represented Wells Fargo in cybersecurity
policy initiatives and forums with industry and government partners to
support company information security priorities.

Before joining the private sector, Kristina served as the Cyber Education and
Awareness Branch Chief at the U.S. Department of Homeland Security. She
served as the senior leader and expert on public policy issues related to
cybersecurity education, awareness, training, and general outreach
activities. Kristina was also a key member of the Department’s Strategic
Review team that oversaw the creation of what is now the Cybersecurity
Infrastructure Security Agency (CISA). She also worked directly with the
Deputy Secretary of DHS and played a key role in coordinating and drafting
Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) Grant Guidance.
A native of Bethlehem, PA, she earned both her bachelor’s and master’s
degrees from George Mason University in Fairfax, VA. She is also the head
swim coach at Washington-Liberty High School in Arlington, VA.

Tim Held is Executive Lead and Chief Information Security Officer (CISO) at Global Payments Inc., a leading worldwide provider of payment technology and software solutions, serving over 5 million merchant locations across more than 150 countries. Tim leads the company’s global information security organization, ensuring resilience across a rapidly evolving threat landscape for a critical worldwide operation.

A veteran security executive with a history of leading Fortune 500 organizations, Tim brings more than 27 years of technology experience, including over two decades focused on risk management. He is known for building and scaling enterprise security programs that strengthen organizational resilience while enabling innovation and growth. Prior to joining Global Payments, Tim served as Chief Information Security Officer at U.S. Bank, leading information security across the United States, Europe, and Asia.

Tim is an active industry leader, serving on multiple external advisory boards and councils, including FS‑ISAC, CyberOhio, NTSC, Evanta, ATPC Cyber Council, and the Analysis & Resilience Center (ARC). He is also a member of the Security 50 Organization, recognizing the world’s top CISOs, and maintains a U.S. Department of Homeland Security–sponsored SECRET clearance.

Tim Held earned a Master of Science in Information Security Management from Colorado Technical University, an NSA School of Excellence, and a Bachelor of Science in Information Technology from the University of Phoenix. He also attended Stanford University’s Advanced Computer Security Program, Pacific Coast Banking School at the University of Washington, and Wharton’s School of Business Leadership and Management Program. His diverse background blends rich leadership experience with deep technical acumen.

Tim resides in Cincinnati, Ohio, with his wife, two children, and two Shiba Inu dogs.