James O’Brien is an accomplished information technology executive with over 25 years of experience spanning critical infrastructure, municipal government, emergency management, and cybersecurity. currently serving as the Director – Information Security Officer at Port Houston, James spearheads innovative cybersecurity strategies, fosters an organizational culture of security awareness, and drives initiatives that secure critical operations supporting global trade.

Throughout his career, James has held pivotal leadership roles, including Director of Information Technology for the cities of Texas City and Friendswood. He has implemented transformative projects such as deploying it as a strategic partner to the organization, IT security programs, overhauling access control systems, and enhancing operational resilience through business continuity and disaster recovery planning.

James is deeply committed to advancing the IT profession, as reflected in his service as Vice President and Executive Board member of the Texas Association of Governmental Information Technology Managers (TAGITM). He has chaired the organization’s cybersecurity committee and contributed to its educational and policy-making efforts. His dedication to professional development is further demonstrated by his certifications, including CISSP, CGCIO, and TML leadership fellow, alongside his educational achievements—an MBA in Management Information Systems from Lamar University and a BS in Information Technology from the University of Phoenix.