Get to Know CRS Senior Manager Kieran Hennessy

As a Senior Manager in the Cybersecurity Risk Services (CRS) Practice, Kieran Hennessy has played a central role in developing Williams Adley’s premium cybersecurity expertise and in providing quality client services.

After receiving his Bachelor of Science in Accounting from George Mason University in 2013, Kieran's goal was to join a CPA firm that cultivated a cohesive team environment. He soon began his career with Williams Adley and pursued a cybersecurity-focused path. After gaining experience completing cybersecurity-based audits, assessments, and evaluations for various Federal clients, he became a Certified Information Systems Auditor (CISA) and Certified Information Systems Security Professional (CISSP). Over the years, Kieran has managed several large-scale SSAE and FISMA engagements and has established himself as a thought leader in SSAE standards. Since 2019, Kieran has been responsible for building the CRS Practice through targeted business development strategies. Recently, Kieran has led the CRS rebranding initiative, drawing from his depth of knowledge and experience to chart the future development of the Practice.

Kieran’s position as an SSAE thought leader is supported by his extensive background both performing and leading SSAE engagements for agencies such as the U.S. Department of Defense (DoD), including the Defense Logistics Agency, Defense Manpower Data Center, and the Defense Finance Accounting Service (DFAS). Through his many years of experience on these engagements, which involve reviewing service provider systems to ensure compliance for our Federal clients, Kieran has developed a comprehensive understanding of SSAE standards and a keen sense for supporting client service providers with their customers in mind. Recently, Kieran has contributed his SSAE expertise as a session moderator at the 2023 American Society of Military Comptrollers (ASMC) Professional Development Institute (PDI) conference in St. Louis, Missouri. In this session, titled “How to Leverage SSAE 18 SOC 1 Reports to Benefit Your Service Program and Customers”, Kieran interviewed DFAS Director of Finance Standards and Customer Service Cathy Van Hoesen, Department of the Navy Chief Strategy Officer Victoria Crouse, and CRS Partner Tony Wang to get their unique insights on the past, present, and future of DoD SSAE SOC 1 reports and offer improved strategies for collaboration between service providers, customers, and their IPAs.

Kieran is also highly specialized in FISMA cybersecurity requirements, having supported and led multiple large and complex FISMA audits and evaluations for agencies such as the Department of State, the Peace Corps, the Consumer Product Safety Commission, and most recently for the Department of Homeland Security. On such engagements, Kieran has proudly led our skilled CRS teams dedicated to delivering value-added services. His adept teams execute program evaluation procedures designed to assess the maturity of program practices and to identify weaknesses. If weaknesses are identified, Kieran’s teams provide practical recommendations to address identified issues and support effective risk management. Consequently, this approach has been instrumental in helping our clients enhance and mature their cybersecurity programs.

Kieran aids the CRS Partner and supports the Practice’s growth through business development strategies that include targeting new clients and building strong relationships with current clients. Kieran strives towards Williams Adley’s goal of being the “service provider and employer of choice” by building creative approaches to new and existing engagements that rely on teamwork, risk-focused approaches, and quality execution. This strategy has led to the recent growth of the CRS Practice and supports the development of our talented and high-performing team.

Outside of his client-facing role, Kieran has also taken the lead in conceptualizing and authoring much of the CRS team’s published technical content, including white papers, case studies, and blog articles.

We are also very excited to feature Kieran as the host of our upcoming podcast series: CyberStorm. Kieran has been diligently laying the groundwork for this series, seeking out industry-leading guests and preparing content on the latest evolutions in cybersecurity. We can’t wait for you to join us in these discussions with top experts on what challenges, threats, and opportunities are just over the horizon.

If you would like to learn more about Kieran, the CRS Practice, and Williams Adley, please follow us on LinkedIn, Twitter, and Facebook to get all our latest updates. We will be regularly posting exciting new content such as white papers, interviews, podcasts, and thought leadership articles as part of our CRS rebrand, so be sure to keep an eye on our website and social media to learn more about our approach to cybersecurity.