UNIVERSITY PARK, Pa. – Keith Brautigam, director of identity and access management at Penn State, has been named interim chief information security officer (CISO) for the University, effective Jan. 16, 2022. 

Brautigam takes over for Richard Sparrow, who accepted a position with Huron Consulting Group. Brautigam will serve in the role until a national search for a permanent replacement is complete. As interim CISO, Brautigam oversees security operations, privacy, information security compliance, and identity and access management. 

“Keith’s experience and leadership will ensure the work of Penn State’s Office of Information Security continues to provide vital support to our faculty, staff, and students,” said Nick Jones, Penn State executive vice president and provost. “He is the perfect candidate to oversee the University’s critical operations in this area during this period of transition.” 

Brautigam joined the University in 2014 after departing his role in identity and access management (IAM) at the University of Iowa. He is a certified information systems security professional with 19 years of experience in IT and cybersecurity. He has been in leadership positions within Penn State for the past seven years, in which he established the University’s IAM program. 

In his role as director of Penn State’s IAM, Brautigam is responsible for the vision, strategy and operation of the University’s identity governance, authentication and directory services, which secure and provide access to over 200,000 University community members across 24 campus locations. 

Brautigam led numerous initiatives, including enabling individuals to express their chosen identity across University systems, establishing advisory groups to author security standards and creating a privileged account management service to protect high-risk systems. 

Notably, Brautigam directed an initiative that onboarded 80,000 students in three months to Penn State's 2-Factor Authentication Service. He also partnered with IT leaders to transition more to modern authentication systems, led the selection and implementation of an identity governance system, and led a cross-functional team to establish business rules and seamlessly correct records for more than 360,000 people with no service disruption. 

Additionally, Brautigam stewarded efforts to enhance security and maximize the value of Penn State’s Microsoft contract by modernizing the University’s web single sign-on platform using Microsoft Azure.  

Before Penn State, Brautigam worked at the University of Iowa from 2002 to 2014 in various systems management and security roles. His experience includes providing IT and security services for research, research administration, hospitals and clinics at the University of Iowa. 

Brautigam is currently pursuing his MBA and master’s certificate in strategic leadership through Penn State’s World Campus and the Smeal College of Business, which he expects to complete in 2022. Brautigam received his bachelor of arts degree in communications and media studies from the University of Iowa.