San Diego, CA, Tuesday, September 29, 2026 — The National Association of State Chief Information Officers (NASCIO) has named Georgia Chief Information Security officer (CISO) Steve Hodges the recipient of the 2026 Thomas M. Jarrett State Cybersecurity Leadership Award. The award was created to pay homage to Tom Jarrett, late former president of NASCIO (2004 – 2005), for his passion for cybersecurity and honors state CISOs for exceptional accomplishments in their field.
As Georgia’s chief information security officer, Steve Hodges has transformed Georgia’s cybersecurity program from agency-specific efforts into a coordinated, statewide capability protecting government operations, critical infrastructure and Georgia’s citizens. Since becoming state CISO in 2023, he has expanded enterprise security services across the executive branch, established Georgia’s first statewide security operations center and strengthened threat hunting, incident response, vulnerability management and continuous monitoring. Hodges has also advanced Georgia’s whole-of-state cybersecurity strategy through partnerships with local governments, schools, law enforcement, the Georgia National Guard and federal partners while expanding cybersecurity grants and information sharing. His leadership of initiatives including the Cyber Dawg live-fire exercise and Georgia’s first Public Sector Cybersecurity Summit has strengthened cyber preparedness, workforce development and collaboration, positioning Georgia as a national model for statewide cybersecurity resilience.
To view past recipients of the Thomas M. Jarrett State Cybersecurity Leadership Award, visit nascio.org/awards.