Greg Barnes

CISO
Highmark Healthcare

Greg Barnes is Chief Information Security Officer of Highmark Healthcare, which operates health insurance plans in Pennsylvania, Delaware, and West Virginia. Barnes has more than 30 years of experience in the security industry. He joined Highmark after serving as CISO of the biopharmaceutical company Amgen from 2016 to 2022. He worked within the Blue Cross and Blue Shield (“BCBS”) system of plans in multiple roles, the latest of which were CISO for Horizon BCBS of New Jersey, and a principal advisor to the national BCBS Association Board of Directors on cybersecurity matters.

Barnes worked for Lucent Technologies as a Managing Principal, leading multiple highly skilled teams in the design of advanced technology networks for large telecommunications companies such as MCI/Worldcom, as well as conducting security design, test, and program management engagements for Exxon, Washington Mutual, Cisco, State Farm, Williams Communications, Walmart, and others.

Barnes began his career in the United States Air Force, where he managed classified intelligence and cyber operations systems. He is Vice Chair to the Board of the Health Information Sharing and Analysis Center (H-ISAC) and chairs the HHS (Healthcare Human Services) Cyber Working Group on Intellectual Property Protection.

Barnes received his Bachelor of Science degree in Information Technology from University of Phoenix and his Master of Science degree in Information Assurance from the National Security Agency-designated Center of Academic Excellence in Advanced Cyber Operations at Northeastern University.