Michael T. Dent

Michael T. Dent, Chief Information Security Officer (CISO) at Fairfax County Government in Virginia, is preparing for a significant transition. 

Effective 1 August 2025, he will be moving into a new role as Strategic Liaison to the CIO and CISO as part of a planned leadership succession.

The transition comes after 23 years with Fairfax County, following his military service. This extensive tenure has shaped his approach to cybersecurity leadership in one of America’s largest local governments.

“My military background instilled a mindset of discipline, accountability and mission-first leadership, values that I’ve carried into my work in public sector cybersecurity,” he says.

His approach to cybersecurity emphasises integration rather than isolation. 

Taking accountability

Cybersecurity is embedded in everything from budgeting to public-facing services, with accountability extending to executive level leadership.

“No security program succeeds if it operates in a silo or if exceptions are made for VIPs,” Michael explains. “You have to be resourceful, collaborative, and able to explain cyber risk in plain terms, because at the end of the day, you're securing not just infrastructure, but democracy at the local level.”

Located in the heart of Virginia, Fairfax county serves over one million residents and operates extensive digital infrastructure. This scale presents unique challenges in balancing security requirements with accessibility and public service delivery.

With this in mind, the county’s enterprise-wide IT risk management programme is designed to be both comprehensive and intentional. Michael says that what makes it so effective is that it’s built not just to “check compliance boxes”, but to “ensure the security, resilience and trustworthiness of every county service that touches technology”. 

He adds: “What makes it effective is that it’s embedded at every level, from our core Information Technology Security Policy, which outlines the minimum-security requirements across all platforms, to aggressive, ongoing risk assessments that inform action and accountability.”

‘Doing more with less’

Michael explains that Fairfax County, as a local authority, has had to do ‘more with less’ when it comes to funding. In order to maximise cybersecurity impact across the region, Michael says the organisation has had to drill down on strategy. 

“When resources are limited and they often are in local government, success comes down to focus, discipline and leadership alignment,” he says. “We start by being strategic. We don’t try to do everything at once. We prioritise the highest-impact areas, identity, access, resilience and visibility and ensure our investments are scalable, sustainable and aligned to our overall enterprise architecture. 

“Every dollar has to count, so we focus on capabilities that reduce risk across the board, not just point solutions.”

The county also makes sure to emphasise strong governance and accountability, viewing its cybersecurity programme as an integral part of the county’s overall risk management strategy. 

“By embedding cybersecurity into procurement, budgeting and executive planning, we ensure that protection is baked into how we operate, not bolted on after the fact,” Michael explains. 

“Collaboration is another key lever. We actively engage with regional and national partners, tap into threat intelligence sharing and participate in joint planning and exercises. That kind of coordination amplifies our internal efforts and gives us a clearer picture of what’s coming over the horizon.”

To set itself apart, Fairfax County has also built a culture of ownership, meaning that cybersecurity is a shared leadership responsibility, rather than leaving it just to the CISO.

“We hold the entire organisation accountable, no executive exceptions, no silos and no disconnect between policy and practice,” Michael says. “When leadership models the right behaviour, the organisation follows.

“Doing more with less isn’t easy but with clarity, collaboration and leadership will, it’s possible. Fairfax is proof of that.”