Victoria Arkhurst, Founder & AI-Native Virtual CISO

About Victoria Arkhurst

Victoria Arkhurst is an AI-native Virtual CISO, cybersecurity and AI governance advisor, and founder of IRM Consulting & Advisory. With more than 25 years of experience across multiple industries, she helps SaaS and AI-native organizations build practical cybersecurity, risk, compliance, and AI governance programs that scale with the business.

She is known for translating complex cyber and AI risk into clear executive decisions, helping leadership teams strengthen resilience, accelerate trust, and prepare for evolving regulatory expectations. Victoria's expertise spans virtual CISO leadership, AI risk, governance, compliance, and secure AI implementation. She advises SaaS companies, Private Equity portfolios, and DoD contractors on building investor-ready, enterprise-grade cybersecurity programs at a fraction of the cost of a full-time CISO.

A contributor to the CAN/DGSI 100-5 Health Data Governance Standard and a COSTI award recipient, recognized as providing the Best Virtual and Fractional CISO Services in Canada for 2025 and 2026, she is passionate about making world-class cybersecurity accessible to growing businesses. She holds CISSP, CISA, CRISC, CDPSE, and CMMC-RP certifications and is a recognized expert in SOC 2, ISO 27001, ISO 42001, NIST AI RMF, and CMMC frameworks.

Credentials and Certifications

• CISSP: Certified Information Systems Security Professional
• CISA: Certified Information Systems Auditor
• CRISC: Certified in Risk and Information Systems Control
• CDPSE: Certified Data Privacy Solutions Engineer
• CMMC-RP: Cybersecurity Maturity Model Certification Registered Practitioner
• CAIA: Certified Artificial Intelligence Auditor
• CAIE: Certified Artificial Intelligence Ethicist
• CAIP: Certified Artificial Intelligence Professional

Areas of Expertise

• Virtual CISO Services (vCISO) and Fractional CISO leadership
• AI Risk Assessment and AI Governance
• ISO 42001 AI Management System
• NIST AI Risk Management Framework (AI RMF)
• SOC 2 Type I and Type II Compliance
• ISO 27001 Information Security Management
• CMMC (Cybersecurity Maturity Model Certification)
• Governance, Risk and Compliance (GRC)
• DevSecOps and AI Agentic Workflow Security
• Cloud Security, Threat Modeling, and Penetration Testing
• Data Security and Privacy
• Third-Party Risk Management and Security Architecture
• Cybersecurity for SaaS companies and Private Equity portfolios

Awards and Recognition

• Best Virtual and Fractional CISO Services in Canada (2026)
• Best Virtual and Fractional CISO Services in Canada (2025)
• Contributor to CAN/DGSI 100-5: Data Governance, Health Data and Information Capability Framework (Second Edition, March 2026)
• COSTI Appreciation Award, Contribution to Cybersecurity Internship Program for Newcomers to Canada

Professional Memberships

• ISACA
• (ISC)²

Connect with Victoria Arkhurst

• LinkedIn: linkedin.com/in/arkhursv