James Wilkinson

James Wilkinson is the Chief Information Security Officer of the City of Dallas, appointed in August 2026.

Career path

Wilkinson's cybersecurity career began in the US Marine Corps, where he started his engagement with cyber work, before progressing to the US Army Special Operations Command Central. He went on to serve as Chief of Cyber Mission Forces during his military service. He spent a year as an Executive IT Fellow at Microsoft and later moved to US Cyber Command. He then became Chief Information Officer for the F-35 program at Lockheed Martin. At Wells Fargo he served as an information security officer and held other cybersecurity leadership positions there. At MUFG Bank he held the roles of Head of Disaster Recovery and, later, Head of Third-Party Application Engagement. He subsequently founded Ethan Solutions Inc, a technology and risk advisory firm, and served as its CEO. In August 2026 he was named CISO for the City of Dallas, where he leads the city's enterprise information security program and works to strengthen cyber resilience across critical systems, public services and city departments.

Military service and education

Wilkinson's career includes 26 years of military service across the US Army and Marine Corps, including senior cyber leadership assignments, and he is recognized as a US Army Cyber Command veteran. He holds a master's degree in cybersecurity risk and strategy from New York University School of Law and the NYU Tandon School of Engineering, a Master of Arts in computer resource and information management from Webster University, and a bachelor's degree in marketing from Morehouse College.

Remit at Dallas

Wilkinson's background spans enterprise technology strategy, cybersecurity governance, operational resilience, cloud modernization, disaster recovery and board advisory work. Dallas City Manager Kimberly Bizor Tolbert said his experience leading complex organizations and advancing risk-based security programs would help protect city services, support modernization and reinforce public trust. On taking the role, Wilkinson said, "I am honored to have the opportunity to serve the people of Dallas."

As a student in NYU's cybersecurity risk and strategy program, Wilkinson described his goal as gaining a deeper understanding of risk and strategy at the intersection of technology, law and policy to help him integrate those elements into business strategy, culture and outcomes. He has pointed to the added budget and staffing constraints that government agencies face compared with industry, and argued that progress depends on simplifying public-private partnership to strengthen security practices.