Kate Jackson Cissp Issep, Cgrc
About Kate Jackson Cissp Issep, Cgrc
Kate Jackson is the Director of Vehicle Cybersecurity at Nikola Motor Company, with extensive experience in cybersecurity and compliance in the automotive industry.
Current Role at Nikola Motor Company
Kate Jackson currently holds the position of Director of Vehicle Cybersecurity at Nikola Motor Company. Since 2023, she has been responsible for overseeing cybersecurity measures for vehicle systems. Her work is based in Arizona, United States, and she operates on-site to ensure the highest levels of cybersecurity for Nikola’s advanced electric and autonomous vehicle platforms.
Previous Experience at General Motors
Prior to joining Nikola Motor Company, Kate Jackson was employed at General Motors, where she served in multiple cybersecurity roles. Notably, she was the Product Cybersecurity Compliance Leader from 2020 to 2023. Earlier, she functioned as the GM Cruise Autonomous Vehicle Governance & Risk Manager in 2018 and Autonomous Cybersecurity Architect from 2017 to 2018. Her responsibilities ranged from compliance and governance to the architectural design of cybersecurity frameworks for autonomous vehicles.
Experience with Cruise Automation
From 2018 to 2020, Kate Jackson worked at Cruise Automation, where she was the Manager of Security Risk and Compliance. During her tenure, she supervised compliance initiatives and managed risks associated with cybersecurity. This role was pivotal in ensuring that Cruise Automation's projects adhered to stringent security standards amidst the rapidly evolving autonomous vehicle technology landscape.
Educational Background
Kate Jackson obtained her Bachelor's Degree in Aerospace, Aeronautical, and Astronautical Engineering from Embry-Riddle Aeronautical University, studying there from 1996 to 2000. This academic foundation enabled her to develop a deep understanding of engineering principles, which has been crucial throughout her extensive career in systems engineering and cybersecurity.
Pioneering Cybersecurity Compliance Efforts
Among her notable achievements, Kate Jackson has been instrumental in pioneering compliance efforts with UN R155 and ISO SAE 21434 standards, specifically for electric and autonomous vehicle software platforms. Her expertise facilitated General Motors in achieving successful type accreditation for vehicles in compliance with new UN cybersecurity regulations. She contributed significantly to the strategic development and implementation of cybersecurity measures aligned with the world forum of harmonization of vehicle regulations.