Roota Almeida

Roota Almeida is a trailblazing leader in the realm of information security. She currently holds the position of Head of Security Governance at Amazon, where she spearheads transformative global changes in the domains of Security, Governance, and Risk Management. Her role encompasses enhancing the effectiveness of Amazon’s information security program, including the crucial Amazon Healthcare Compliance. Prior to her tenure at Amazon, Roota held the mantle of Chief Information Security Officer (CISO) at Delta Dental of New Jersey and Connecticut (DDNJ, Inc.). Her pivotal contribution led to the establishment of DDNJ’s HITRUST/NIST CSF Certified Office of Information Security, and she continued to steer the formulation and execution of comprehensive enterprise-wide information security strategies, policies, risk assessments, and controls. Beyond her corporate endeavors, Roota is a strong advocate for increasing female representation in STEM careers. She initiated a dedicated internship program at DDNJ, Inc. designed to empower graduating female high school students with insights into the dynamic realm of corporate cybersecurity.

Roota’s illustrious journey also includes her role as the former CISO of Covanta Holdings Corp., a prominent player in Energy-from-Waste solutions. During her tenure, she took charge of all facets of information security, risk management, and compliance, including the oversight of global information security awareness initiatives, policies, business continuity planning, and incident response teams. An acknowledged luminary in the industry, Roota Almeida has over two decades of security (software/hardware) engineering experience and has contributed extensively to the field. She serves as a part of the Board of Advisors for several organizations, assumes the role of governing body chair for Evanta’s CxO Summits and other tech conferences, and imparts her wisdom as a faculty member and security awards judge. Roota’s profound expertise finds expression in a wealth of articles, eBooks, interviews, and podcasts. Dedicated to nurturing fresh talent and innovative solutions in the security domain, she places significant emphasis on mentorship. As a mentor, she provides invaluable guidance, unwavering support, and inspiration to aspiring students and professionals alike.

Roota holds CCISO, CISSP, CISM and CRISC certifications.