WashU IT welcomed Todd Haverstock to the role of Associate Chief Information Security Officer in November. He brings a wealth of experience in cybersecurity, information technology, and health care that will help ensure strategic alignment.
Haverstock said there are several reasons he was attracted to the role at WashU, noting, “I welcomed the opportunity to be part of a much larger IT department with maturity and processes that were not possible in an organization one-fourth the size of WashU.” He added the diversity across WUIT appealed to him.
“I think I underestimated the collaborative spirit of our IT department,” Haverstock said. “Everyone is incredibly welcoming and supportive of our information security program. Security is part of our IT mission. Wherever we need to mature or improve in technology, everyone rallies around advancing the cause. That is not necessarily common and therefore something WUIT should be very proud of.”
The scope of Haverstock’s information security work focuses on clinical operations. He noted the School of Medicine is the largest piece of that important work. His top three near-term goals include developing a multi-year shared-vision roadmap for systems and processes for which he is responsible, spearheading creative solutions to tactical operational security issues, and ensuring that organizational change within his area is carefully managed to minimize security friction.
Accomplishments he is most proud of during his first two months include, “hearing positive feedback that certain initiatives are heading in the right direction or healthy challenges are being evaluated properly in the name of improving our security and compliance.” He noted, “Feedback is a gift whether it is positive or negative. If something is not going well or there is a concern about our security, I need to hear about that, too. There is a saying, ‘fail hard, fail fast.’ That is pretty self-explanatory but often times we assume someone knows about a problem or a shortcoming.”
Haverstock’s experience includes 15 years at Blessing Health in Quincy, Illinois. He was first hired as the Director of Strategy and Service Alignment in 2008 and was promoted to Administrative Director of IT Service and Infrastructure in 2010. In 2013 he assumed the role of Information Security Officer, a role he held until becoming the Information Security Chief in January 2022.
Prior to his time at Blessing, he held positions at Comdisco, Apropos Technology, Quebecor World Color Press, CNA Insurance, and Grant Thornton.