Former DoW Acting CIO and DHS CIO John Zangardi Joins Knox Systems as Strategic Advisor

Senior cyber executive will provide expert guidance on federal agencies' secure AI adoption, risk management and governance for hyperscale cloud environments

WASHINGTON and NEW YORK, Dec. 1, 2025 /PRNewswire/ -- Knox Systems today announced that John Zangardi, PhD,  former Acting CIO for the Department of War and Chief Information Officer for the Department of Homeland Security, has joined Knox as a Strategic Advisor. A nationally recognized leader in digital transformation, cybersecurity and enterprise modernization, Zangardi will support Knox's mission to strengthen how agencies and SaaS vendors adopt secure cloud and AI at scale.

Zangardi brings more than 30 years of executive leadership across government and industry. His career includes senior executive roles at the DoW and DHS, and military service as a naval aviator and in various staff assignments. He has deep experience in acquisition, cybersecurity modernization, cloud transformation, telecommunications upgrades and advanced data analytics initiatives supporting secure and resilient global communications for our nation.

In industry, Zangardi has served as Chief Executive Officer and President of Redhorse Corporation and Senior Vice President of Leidos, where he drove strategic partnerships, operational growth, and digital transformation programs across civilian, defense, and homeland missions. He currently serves on several public and private boards, and advises public and private companies on cybersecurity, AI/ML, communications and strategic governance.

At Knox Systems, Zangardi will advise on secure AI adoption, hyperscale cloud strategy, enterprise risk management, and board-level governance frameworks that support agency missions and vendor modernization efforts. His experience leading organizations of more than 20,000 personnel will further strengthen Knox's strategic planning and long-term innovation roadmap.

"John's leadership across DoW, DHS and industry has shaped some of the most significant modernization efforts in government," said Irina Denisenko, CEO of Knox Systems. "His strategic insight in cybersecurity, cloud transformation and enterprise operations aligns directly with our mission. We're honored to welcome him as we continue enabling agencies and vendors to modernize with speed and resilience."

"Knox is addressing one of government's most urgent needs: enabling secure SaaS and AI adoption at scale," said John Zangardi, PhD. "Modern missions require both agility and strong cyber foundations. Knox's multi-cloud boundary and proven federal compliance expertise make it a critical partner for organizations looking to innovate responsibly. I'm excited to support their work and mission."

About Knox Systems

Knox Systems operates the largest federal managed cloud boundary, trusted across defense and civilian agencies for more than a decade. Purpose-built for speed, resilience, and compliance, Knox delivers FedRAMP authorization in 90 days, enabling SaaS providers and federal programs to adopt secure cloud and AI with significant cost and operational efficiencies. Knox supports AWS, Azure, and Google Cloud across both commercial and government regions.

Media Inquiries: media@knoxsystems.com

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SOURCE Knox Systems, Inc