Michelle Joy Sutphin
Vice President & Chief Security Officer, Science Applications International Corp.
Prior to her role at SAIC, Michelle Joy Sutphin served four years as spokesperson for the National Industrial Security Program Policy Advisory Committee, working side by side with government policymakers to represent the 13,000 cleared defense contractors during the rewrite of the National Industrial Security Program Operating Manual, published in February 2021 as 32 CFR Part 117.
Her tenacity in advocating for proper reform and influencing policy enabled her to bring this focus back to SAIC when she came into her current role in 2020. Leading a team of 150 security professionals, her emphasis is on maintaining compliance, partnering with the government and working to enable the business in its mission while keeping the human aspect in mind at all times.
Why Watch
In 2022, Sutphin will continue to partner with the businesses she has supported as well as with the federal government to foster and champion security excellence and policy reform. She is always mindful of the post-COVID stress-filled environment in which her team operates. Her focus is on building her team with a strong mindset so it can better support the needs of the business and the national security mission.
“I have often in my career witnessed times when security leaders focus solely on the problem or crisis at hand with no thought whatsoever to the professionals that are working those items,” Sutphin said. “These professionals are on call 24/7 and shoulder a large burden for both the company and the nation. I am passionate about making sure that my team has the tools and support they need — physically, emotionally and mentally — so that they maintain the highest security posture possible.”