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Jeremy Pelegrin has been appointed UMass Amherst’s new Chief Information Security Officer (CISO), effective Monday, Aug. 25. Pelegrin will lead the university’s cybersecurity efforts, focusing on protecting the systems and data that drive the university's academic and research missions.

“Aligning cybersecurity with the university’s strategic goals is a shared responsibility that relies on strong, campus-wide partnerships,” says Pelegrin, who comes to UMass from Tulane University, where he held the same role. “I’m excited to contribute to the continued growth of our cybersecurity program and to work alongside colleagues across the UMass community to foster a secure environment where learning, discovery, and innovation can thrive.”

As CISO at Tulane, Pelegrin worked closely with colleagues across the institution to strengthen cybersecurity strategy, governance and operational efficiencies. While there, he helped modernize cybersecurity practices, supported key initiatives in identity management and endpoint security, and encouraged a shared culture of cybersecurity. In 2024, he received the President's Staff Excellence Award in recognition of his efforts to build strong, collaborative partnerships across Tulane’s academic, medical and research communities.

“Jeremy understands the balance of providing robust security for an R1 institution while ensuring a collaborative environment for teaching, research, and creative activities,” says Christopher Misra, vice chancellor for information technology and chief information officer. “His practical approach to cybersecurity and his track record of working effectively with campus partners align with our strategic priorities in support of the common good.”

With Pelegrin’s appointment, Jacob Cunningham, who has held the role of interim CISO since January, will assume the new position of deputy chief information security officer to support IT’s strategic priority to strengthen security and resilience throughout the university.

“The creation of the new deputy CISO role is an outcome of our now 10-month IT Staff Engagement Initiative (SEI) to bring our operational processes and culture into alignment with the priorities and goals of the campus strategic plan,” says Monica Kane, associate vice chancellor for information technology. “Strengthening our information security team is a part of our broader SEI initiative to create an agile IT organization capable of adapting to the evolving technology and cybersecurity needs of the University. I look forward to working with our new CISO and deputy CISO as they move our organization forward towards that goal.”