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Myrna Soto: at Comcast, info security is a key element
She has about a hundred direct reports, and several hundred more are part of the larger matrix group involved in network security at Comcast
 Myrna Soto has moved into the cable service and communications industry. Since last September she’s been senior VP and chief infrastructure and information security officer (CISO) at Comcast Corp (Philadelphia, PA), the cable, entertainment and communications products and services provider. Before that she was VP of IT governance and chief information security officer for MGM Mirage (Las Vegas, NV), leading and re-energizing its security group.
A dual-focus role
Soto’s job is a brand-new position at Comcast, and the addition of the infrastructure component to the info security role was a key element in her decision to make the move.
“There was a realization of the core need to solidify the infrastructure and information focus. It was very forward-thinking and proactive. Most organizations don’t think ahead like this; they usually react when there is an issue.”
Besides, “Comcast’s commitment to diversity and outreach programs to support acquisition and fostering of diverse talent impressed me. The dedication to a strong value system really drew me to the company,” she says.
Comcast has about 23.6 million video customers, 15.9 million high-speed Internet customers, and 7.6 million phone customers. The company has a robust customer protection suite which allows for safe and secure operation on the Internet.
Soto works with product-line “owners” within the company to help develop security strategies for new product lines, and orchestrates a holistic enterprise security strategy. She explains that both the corporate owners and Comcast’s residential customers must be confident that their data is well protected.
Deep infrastructure
The infrastructure part of the job is considerable as well. “The depth of the infrastructure is tremendous; that’s why ‘infrastructure’ was added to the CISO title.
“We have more than twenty-two converged regional networks, data services and digital voice, and the capability to service more than fifty million households. We have 147 million miles of fiber optic cable, enough to wrap around the globe six times! This is all part of the infrastructure I manage,” Soto says with pride.
She has about a hundred direct reports and several hundred more that are part of the larger matrix group involved in network security. Her office sets the overall strategy.
Empowerment
The strong traditional Hispanic culture of her family helped Soto develop her interest in technology and the drive to push ahead in management, she thinks.
Soto has a Cuban father and a Puerto Rican mother and grew up in southern Florida. She went to Florida International University for her 1993 BA in psychology: a big help with management skills, she notes. “I am an empowering manager. As a team, my group is a very collaborative environment. I’m very open to ideas. There’s more than just one right path.”
Business, technology and leadership
She went to work at Norwegian Cruise Line. “I started in operations but I was business ‘owner’ of the technology and the role morphed into a hybrid of technology and business,” she says.
As she continued along her career path, there was a security component in every job she
took on; her involvement in security increased and led to leadership roles. At MGM her responsibilities included oversight of technology compliance in the highly regulated gaming industry, as well as management of the Mirage’s capital portfolio for IT.
Giving others a chance
“I think leadership was natural for me,” Soto says. “I’ve always been interested in a management role, and I have a passion for leading teams.
“It’s really important that companies are making opportunities available to diverse candidates. I feel that it’s important for me, and others like me, to serve as role models.
“I’ve had opportunities to broaden my horizons, and I want to give others that same chance,” Soto declares.
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