Virtual CISO for government
We take the security leadership role on a fractional basis, from the risk register to the council briefing that funds it.
Virtual CISO servicesSecurity consulting for government and critical infrastructure
We advise state and local agencies, election offices and critical infrastructure operators on cybersecurity, physical security and AI, nationwide.
Spencer Wood, our Founder, CEO and Principal Consultant, served as a Cybersecurity Advisor with CISA and as interim State CIO of Ohio.
What we do
Engagements are scoped and fractional, so a county with a small budget can buy the piece it needs rather than a program.
Physical security
We assess the building and the network running through it together.
Physical security consultingAI consulting
We help agencies adopt AI with governance, security review and staff training.
AI consulting servicesIf you are dealing with an incident right now, say so in the form.
Every consultant who works with Foundation Consultant Group served as a Cybersecurity Advisor with CISA, the federal field role for reducing cyber risk in state and local government and critical infrastructure.
- Six states CISA Region 5: Illinois, Indiana, Michigan, Minnesota, Ohio and Wisconsin, where Spencer Wood served.
- More than 20 years His record in enterprise, government and critical infrastructure.
- Nationwide Where we take engagements now.
About Foundation Consultant Group
Foundation Consultant Group is a security consultancy for government and critical infrastructure. Spencer Wood is our Founder, CEO and Principal Consultant. He served as a Cybersecurity Advisor with the U.S. Cybersecurity and Infrastructure Security Agency (CISA), working with government agencies and election officials across CISA Region 5: Illinois, Indiana, Michigan, Minnesota, Ohio and Wisconsin. The job was reducing cyber, operational and physical risk in the field, next to the people who run the systems.
Before federal service he held senior roles in Ohio state government, including interim State Chief Information Officer and Deputy CIO of Ohio, and CIO for the Ohio Secretary of State. In those jobs he ran enterprise IT and supported statewide election security work. StateScoop and Government Technology covered the interim State CIO appointment in 2018.
We consult nationwide on cybersecurity, physical security, election administration security and artificial intelligence. We translate security into plain language that drives decisions and budgets, and we treat cyber and physical security as one discipline.
Writing and press
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Where AI Meets Elections: What Officials Need to Demand
Why AI amplifies the vulnerabilities election technology already has, and what officials should demand from vendors: strong contracts, software bills of materials and independent verification.
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Inside Ohio's Practical Use of AI for Election Administration
How the Ohio Secretary of State's office built a narrow, source-grounded assistant for an election official manual that runs more than 500 pages. Written with TJ Pyche and Trevor Timmons.
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What Election Offices Taught Us About Writing an AI Use Policy, and How They're Approaching AI
A guest post with several co-authors, Spencer among them, on what election offices actually put in an AI use policy.
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Ohio names interim CIO to replace outgoing Stu Davis
Coverage of Spencer's move from Deputy CIO to interim State CIO.
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Ohio Promotes from Within to Replace Outgoing CIO Stu Davis
The same appointment, with more on the Ohio Department of Administrative Services role.
Get in touch
The form goes straight to our inbox. Say what you are facing and when. If we are not the right people for it, we will tell you.
Your inquiry is in our inbox.
We usually reply within one business day. Spencer reads every inquiry himself.