10 Guardian Life security leaders
Nelson Gonzalez, Head of Cyber Security - Technology and Strategy at Guardian, is one of ten Guardian Life security leaders listed here, alongside current heads of security architecture, security engineering, cyber defense, security assurance and identity governance. A reader can learn how security leaders work at Guardian Life from people who have held the role.
Professionals to explore
Brian W. Rydstrom
LinkedInExperience: Head of Cyber Defense and Response · Guardian
Brian W. Rydstrom has been Head of Cyber Defense and Response at Guardian since June 2025 and also held the title Head of Cyber Incident Response (Interim) there from July 2025 to January 2026. Brian W. Rydstrom was Senior Director, Forensics and Incident Response at Arete from 2021 to 2025.
Ilya Sivaev
LinkedInExperience: Head of Identity Governance and Administration · Guardian
Ilya Sivaev has been Head of Identity Governance and Administration at Guardian since June 2026 and was Head of Identity & Access Management Process Management there from 2018 to 2026. At Guardian, Ilya Sivaev was also Senior Security IAM Lead, Identity & Access Management from 2017 to 2018 and IT Business Analyst, Identity & Access Management from 2016 to 2017.
Jamie Sergent
LinkedInExperience: Head of IT/Cyber Control Assurance · Guardian
Jamie Sergent has been Head of IT/Cyber Control Assurance at Guardian since March 2025 and was Manager, IT Risk and Controls there from 2021 to 2025. At Guardian, Jamie Sergent was also IT Risk & Controls Analyst III in IT Security, Risk, and Controls at Guardian Life from 2019 to 2021 and IT Business Analyst in IT Security, Risk, and Controls from 2016 to 2019.
Jason Rodriguez, CISSP, CISM
LinkedInExperience: Head of PAM & IAM Administration · Guardian
Jason Rodriguez, CISSP, CISM has been Head of PAM & IAM Administration at Guardian since July 2021, and the profile headline reads Head of IAM Privileged Access (PAM) at Guardian Life Insurance Company of America. At Guardian, Jason Rodriguez was IAM Security Engineer from 2015 to 2019 and Senior IAM Administrator from 2002 to 2015.
John M Sopp
LinkedInExperience: Head of Cyber Security Assurance | Security Governance, Assurance and Response · Guardian
John M Sopp has been Head of Cyber Security Assurance | Security Governance, Assurance and Response at Guardian since April 2026. At Guardian, John M Sopp was Head of Security Assurance-Cybersecurity Risk Controls and Governance from 2023 to 2026, Head of Cyber Security Assurance Services from 2021 to 2023 and Director of Information Security from 2020 to 2021.
Manas Singh
LinkedInExperience: Head of Product Security · Guardian
Manas Singh was Head of Product Security at Guardian from November 2018 to April 2025 and Senior Application & Product Security Architect there from 2017 to 2018. Manas Singh was Software Engineering Manager at IBM from 2010 to 2017 and Staff Software Engineer at IBM from 2003 to 2010.
Nelson Gonzalez
LinkedInExperience: Head of Cyber Security - Technology and Strategy · Guardian
Nelson Gonzalez has been Head of Cyber Security - Technology and Strategy at Guardian since January 2025 and has also held the title Head of Cyber Defense and Operations there since November 2021. At Guardian, Nelson Gonzalez was Head of Cyber Security Engineering (Interim) from 2024 to 2025 and Senior Lead, Information Security Governance from 2016 to 2021.
Nitin Kotian
LinkedInExperience: Head of Security Architecture · Guardian
Nitin Kotian has been Head of Security Architecture at Guardian since March 2020 and was Principal Security Architect there from 2019 to 2020. At Guardian, Nitin Kotian was also Enterprise Security Architect from 2018 to 2019 and Lead Enterprise Architect from 2008 to 2018, and the profile says Nitin Kotian leads enterprise cyber security architecture and strategy.
Thomas Riley
LinkedInExperience: Head of Security Engineering · Guardian
Thomas Riley has been Head of Security Engineering at Guardian since June 2026. Thomas Riley was SENIOR DIRECTOR OF SECURITY ENGINEERING at Zelis from 2023 to 2026 and DIRECTOR OF INFRASTRUCTURE & NETWORK ENGINEERING at Zelis from 2017 to 2023, and the profile headline lists network and cybersecurity engineering.
Viswanath Chidambaram
LinkedInExperience: Head of IT Infrastructure & Security · Guardian
Viswanath Chidambaram has been Head of IT Infrastructure & Security at Guardian since February 2025, and the profile headline reads Head of Enterprise Technology & Cyber Security at Guardian Life. Viswanath Chidambaram was Regional IT Director - IT Infrastructure at GE HealthCare from 2021 to 2025 and Regional IT Director at GE Digital from 2018 to 2021.
Choose the right perspective
Pick the person whose own security area is closest to your question, since architecture, engineering, cyber defense, control assurance and identity work each give a different view. Check the dates on each role to see how current the experience is.
Questions to take into the conversation
- 01What took most of your time in your current security role, and how did you decide what to handle yourself?
- 02How did you decide which security risks to work on first when several needed attention at once?
- 03What did you learn in earlier roles that changed how you approach your current security work?
Reaching Guardian Life security leaders
How can I contact one of these Guardian Life security leaders?
Pick one of the 10 people on this page and choose "Book a paid call", or describe your project to find others. You offer a fee for a 15-minute call or a written answer, Instant Expert finds the person's work email and sends the invitation, and they decide whether to accept. The list covers 1 company: Guardian, based on profile data retrieved on October 20, 2026. Being listed here doesn't mean someone has agreed to take calls.
How much does it cost to reach Guardian Life security leaders?
You choose the offer, starting at $5 per person. The offer is what the person receives, and Instant Expert's fee is added on top, so a $100 offer costs you $125. The fee is 20% of what you pay. You're charged only when the person books the call or sends the answer.
What if they don't reply?
You pay nothing. Instant Expert sends follow-up reminders, and if the person hasn't booked or answered within 7 days, the request expires and any hold on your card is released. You can invite several of the 10 people on this list at once and cap your total spend, so you pay only for the ones who accept.
Can an AI agent ask one of these Guardian Life security leaders a question?
Yes. An agent with a USDC wallet on Base can ask one question without an Instant Expert account. It names the person, for example by the LinkedIn URL on this page, and pays per ask over x402 (HTTP 402). The person answers in writing or by voice note, and if nobody answers within 7 days, the payment goes back to the wallet automatically. Claude and ChatGPT can do the same through the Instant Expert connector: setup is at /docs/mcp for Claude and /docs/chatgpt for ChatGPT. x402 docs
About this directory
This is a professional research starting point based on business profile data retrieved on . Titles and companies reflect that source snapshot; roles marked former had ended by then. Check the linked profiles for current details. Inclusion does not imply Instant Expert membership or availability.
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