Connecticut · Cyber Security

Security leadership
that builds trust.

I'm Justin Kolker — a cybersecurity leader and CISSP who helps organizations protect what matters and build security teams that last. From the boardroom to the threat surface, I turn risk into clear, defensible decisions.

Justin Kolker, cybersecurity leader and CISSP

Two decades turning complex risk into calm, confident operations.

I've spent my career at the intersection of leadership and deep technical security work — managing teams, shaping strategy, and staying close enough to the details to make sure the strategy actually holds. I believe the best security programs are the ones people barely notice, because they simply work.

My focus areas span vulnerability and configuration management, network and cloud security, application penetration testing, and compliance and audit response. But the through-line is people: I build teams that are curious, accountable, and genuinely good at what they do.

I'm based in Connecticut, hold the CISSP, and care about mentoring the next generation of practitioners as much as I care about the next threat on the horizon.

Where I focus

  • 01

    Security Leadership

    Building, mentoring, and scaling high-performing security teams — and aligning their work to real business outcomes.

  • 02

    Vulnerability & Configuration Management

    Finding, prioritizing, and remediating risk at scale, with programs that measurably reduce exposure over time.

  • 03

    Network Security

    Designing defensible network architecture and controls that hold up under pressure and real-world attack.

  • 04

    Application Penetration Testing

    Hands-on offensive testing that finds the flaws before adversaries do — and translates them into action.

  • 05

    Cloud Security

    Securing modern cloud environments with sensible guardrails, identity-first design, and continuous assurance.

  • 06

    Compliance & Audit Response

    Translating frameworks and audits into practical controls — and making audit season a non-event.

A track record of impact

  1. Dec 2023 — Present Evernorth Health Services

    Director

    Lead cybersecurity strategy and teams across one of the nation's largest health services organizations, driving vulnerability management, risk reduction, and security operations at enterprise scale.

  2. Aug 2019 — Dec 2023 Cigna Healthcare

    Senior Manager, Vulnerability Management

    Built and led the vulnerability management team, maturing the program that finds, prioritizes, and remediates risk across the enterprise's technology estate.

  3. Oct 2011 — Aug 2019 Express Scripts

    IT Engineer → Senior Security Analyst → IT Security Specialist

    Grew from IT engineering into hands-on security, advancing through security analysis and specialist roles while building the technical foundation behind the leadership work that followed.

Certifications & recognition

  • CISSP Certified Information Systems Security Professional
  • + Add additional certifications (CCSP, OSCP, CISM, cloud certs…)
  • B.S. Add your degree & institution

Let's talk security.

Whether you're hiring, looking for an advisor, or just want to compare notes on the state of the threat landscape — I'd be glad to hear from you.