By Thad Rueter, Government Technology The Tribune Content Agency

It's retirement time for Lester Godsey, the CISO for Maricopa County, Ariz. - the fourth-largest county in the U.S.

Seema Patel, assistant CISO, took over Godsey's jobin October, according to county CIO Richard McHattie.

Godsey became the county's CISO in 2019, after serving as chief information security and privacy officer for Mesa, a city in Maricopa County.

"Lester will remain on staff until Dec. 2, 2024, to support his colleagues and keep the team focused on cybersecurity efforts through the 2024 election cycle," McHattie wrote in an email to Government Technology. "We wish him well in his next endeavor."

During his time as county CISO, he won recognition as one of Government Technology's Top 25 Doers, Dreamers and Drivers. His work on cybersecurity and combating misinformation was highlighted.

On his LinkedIn page, Godsey thanked his security team.

"The successes we've had in thwarting and responding to cyber, kinetic and reputational attacks are a direct result of the infosec team," he wrote without detailing what his next "career steps" might be.

He still works as adjunct faculty at Arizona State University, focusing on cybersecurity, and has taught at other colleges, according to his profile.

Patel's experience includes health information systems manager for Maricopa County, which has a population of more than 4.5 million people. She has more than two decades of experience in program management - and is, according to her county profile, a student of Brazilian Jiu Jitsu and Krav Maga.

"Seema brings a wealth of experience in cybersecurity and risk management, and I am confident she will build upon the strong foundation Lester has laid," McHattie wrote. "During the transition period, Seema will shadow Lester and work closely with him to ensure a smooth handover of responsibilities."