Noah M. Kenney
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§ Services — Principal-led advisory CIPM · Since 2017 Index/Consulting — Rev. 2026.1
Consulting — what I do

Advisory for the hard parts of emerging technology.

Principal-led engagements in AI governance, security, privacy, and fractional leadership, delivered directly, at the level of board and executive partnership, for regulated and mission-driven organizations where getting the details right is not optional.

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60+Organizations
advised
24+Industries
served
90%Repeat-hire
rate
85%Client
referral rate
9+Years of
advisory
01 / Disciplines

Four disciplines.
One practitioner.

Engagements cluster around four interlocking specialisms, the surfaces where law, technology, and organizational reality collide. The work can be retained as any one, or delivered as an integrated program.

I. Discipline 01
Policy · Framework · Oversight

AI Governance

The operational architecture that makes an AI program defensible under audit and useful under load, governance committees, risk taxonomies, intake processes, model inventories, and board-level reporting that your regulators, operators, and public stakeholders can all read.

  • AI governance frameworks — policy operationalization, committee design, intake
  • Regulatory readiness — EU AI Act, NIST AI RMF, ISO/IEC 42001, sector guidance
  • Model risk & inventory — documentation, tiering, and lifecycle controls
  • Board & executive enablement — reporting, training, and decision structures
II. Discipline 02
Engineering · Architecture · Program

Security

Security architecture and program work for organizations deploying AI and handling sensitive data, building the controls that protect the systems that protect the people who depend on them.

  • Security architecture review — AI systems, data platforms, cloud
  • Security for AI — supply chain, model theft, prompt & data exfiltration
  • Compliance alignment — SOC 2, HIPAA, FedRAMP / StateRAMP baselines
  • Incident readiness — runbooks, tabletop design, post-incident review
III. Discipline 03
Engineering · Program · Counsel

Privacy

CIPM-certified privacy work, translating legal requirements into engineering specifications that teams can actually follow. Privacy Impact Assessments, data-flow mapping, minimization, and program design for organizations where privacy is both a compliance obligation and an operational promise.

  • Privacy Impact Assessments (PIAs / DPIAs) — scoping, authorship, remediation
  • Privacy engineering — data-flow mapping, consent, minimization, retention
  • Regulatory alignment — GDPR, CCPA, HIPAA, emerging U.S. federal privacy
  • Privacy programs — policy, training, vendor review, and ongoing operations
IV. Discipline 04
Executive · Fractional · Embedded

Fractional Leadership

Embedded executive leadership on a flexible basis, CTO, CISO, CAIO, and specialist roles. Senior depth at the level your organization needs, right now, without the cost or commitment of a full-time executive hire.

  • Fractional CTO — technology strategy, modernization, vendor management
  • Fractional CISO — security program, compliance posture, incident readiness
  • Fractional CAIO — AI strategy, governance, build vs. buy, deployment
  • Interim & transitional — bridging leadership between permanent hires
02 / Fractional Executive

Senior leadership, without the hire.

Organizations regularly need senior technology leadership before they are ready to recruit full-time for it, or need specialist depth that a single permanent executive cannot plausibly cover. Fractional engagements bridge both.

§ Fractional
CTO
Chief Technology Officer
Strategy & execution. Technology roadmaps, modernization programs, architecture oversight, vendor and build/buy decisions, engineering leadership.
§ Fractional
CISO
Chief Information Security Officer
Security posture. Program design, compliance alignment (SOC 2, HIPAA, FedRAMP), incident readiness, third-party risk, board reporting on security.
§ Fractional
CAIO
Chief AI Officer
AI strategy & governance. Use-case prioritization, responsible-AI frameworks, deployment architecture, and the oversight structures required for durable scale.
§ Interim
CISO / CTO
Transitional leadership
Bridging role. Stabilizing a team, completing an in-flight program, or holding the seat with executive-level credibility while a permanent successor is recruited.
§ Specialist
Governance Lead
AI governance specialist
Program architect. Standing up AI governance from zero — committee design, risk taxonomy, model inventory, policy authorship, and the operating rhythm that makes it real.
§ Advisory
Board Advisor
Technology & AI board advisor
Independent counsel. Board-level advisory on technology investments, AI posture, vendor scrutiny, and the governance questions that belong on the board agenda.
03 / Methodology

A structured path from insight to impact.

Every engagement follows a disciplined four-phase methodology refined over nearly a decade of advisory work. Each phase has defined outputs, quality controls, and a written cadence, so you always know exactly where the engagement stands.

i.
Phase 01 · Typically 2–4 weeks

Discovery — stakeholder interviews & assessment.

Structured interviews across leadership, operations, legal, security, and program teams, building a complete picture of priorities, constraints, and pain points before recommending anything. Diagnosis precedes prescription.

Executive & board interviews
Department deep dives
Document & data review
Current-state gap map
ii.
Phase 02 · Typically 2–3 weeks

Analysis — challenge identification & strategic framing.

Synthesis across interviews, data review, and benchmarking to identify root-cause challenges and frame them in terms of strategic priority and operational impact, not symptoms.

Root-cause problem identification
Industry benchmarking
Risk & opportunity prioritization
Strategic options
iii.
Phase 03 · Week of engagement kickoff

Setup — onboarding & client environment.

Your team is onboarded into a dedicated client environment giving every designated stakeholder real-time visibility into status, deliverables, and communication, so the engagement is always legible without having to ask.

Dedicated client portal
Project plan & milestones
Roles & working cadence
Escalation paths
iv.
Phase 04 · Duration of engagement

Delivery — active consulting & implementation.

Working alongside your team through implementation with weekly written progress reports, structured working sessions, and professional-grade deliverables at each milestone, and, where needed, a full implementation team to execute on recommendations.

Weekly written progress reports
Structured working sessions
Milestone deliverables
Implementation support
04 / Delivery Model

Flexible format. Consistent standard.

Engagements adapt to the organization, fully remote, on-site, or hybrid, combining the efficiency of remote delivery with the impact of in-person presence at the phases where presence earns its cost.

§ Mode 01

Remote

Secure video, the client portal, and collaborative workspaces. Faster scheduling, lower cost, access to senior depth regardless of geography, without sacrificing responsiveness.

§ Mode 02

On-site

For engagements requiring immersive presence, executive workshops, organizational assessments, board facilitation, change management. Scheduled strategically at the phases where presence creates the most value.

§ Mode 03

Hybrid

Most multi-month engagements use a hybrid cadence, on-site sessions for discovery, workshops, and key milestones, remote delivery for analytical and implementation phases in between.

05 / Industries

Sectors served.

Work spans more than two dozen industries, with a particular concentration in the regulated and mission-driven environments where the governance of emerging technology is both a compliance obligation and a legitimacy question.

01
Healthcare & Life Sciences
HIPAA · Clinical AI · Research
02
Financial Services
SOC 2 · Model Risk · Privacy
03
Government & Public Sector
FedRAMP · StateRAMP · Policy
04
SEC-Regulated Industries
Compliance · Reporting · Audit
05
Nonprofit & Mission-Driven
Stewardship · Donor Data · Grants
06
Technology & Prof. Services
AI · Platform · Privacy by Design
07
Education & Higher Ed.
FERPA · Research Ethics · AI Policy
08
Insurance & InsurTech
Model Risk · Fair Lending · Data
09
Legal Services
Privilege · AI Use · Records
10
Real Estate & Multifamily
Platforms · Member Data · Ops
11
Retail & E-Commerce
CCPA · Personalization · Fraud
12
Small & Medium Business
Right-sized · Practical · Durable
06 / Engagement Models

Scoped to the situation.

Every engagement is scoped to your specific situation, from a bounded assessment to an embedded fractional seat. The three models below cover the vast majority of work; hybrids are routine.

I. Model 01

Assessment

A bounded engagement with a clear answer.
Duration4–8 weeks
  • AI governance readiness assessment
  • Privacy program maturity review
  • Security architecture & posture review
  • Board-level technology & AI review
  • Regulatory alignment assessment (EU AI Act, GDPR, etc.)
II. Model 02

Retained Advisory

An ongoing relationship, principal-led.
DurationQuarterly · Renewable
  • Ongoing executive & board advisement
  • Named point of contact, same-business-day response
  • Regular working sessions on live questions
  • Access for designated stakeholders across the org
  • Program & roadmap stewardship across quarters
III. Model 03

Fractional Executive

An embedded seat on the leadership team.
Duration6+ months
  • Fractional CTO, CISO, or CAIO
  • Team leadership & vendor management
  • Board reporting on your behalf
  • Hiring & transition support for your permanent hire
  • A specific, predictable weekly commitment

,  Engagement fees are scoped to the work; discovery calls are always complimentary  ,

07 / Investment

Scoped fees for engagements, hourly for ad-hoc needs.

Most engagements are scoped to a single, written number, agreed before the work begins. For ad-hoc needs, focused questions, or expert witness and advisory hours, hourly consultation is also offered. The ranges below reflect typical engagements for regulated and mission-driven organizations; the final fee depends on the depth of discovery required, the size of the organization, and the scope of deliverables.

I. Tier 01
Strategy Session

Strategy Session

A focused conversation on a single question.

$3,500 fixed
FormatHalf-day session
Duration2–4 hours
PrepIncluded
  • Pre-call discovery & written brief
  • Working session with named stakeholders
  • One-page written recap & next-step recommendations
  • 30-day email follow-up
Ideal for bounded questions — a specific decision, a board preparation, a second opinion.
II. Tier 02
Assessment

Assessment

A bounded engagement with a clear answer.

$5,000+ fixed
Duration4–8 weeks
FormatHybrid
PaymentMilestoned
  • Stakeholder discovery interviews (8–20 sessions)
  • Document, data-flow, and control review
  • Benchmarking against regulatory & industry frameworks
  • Written report, executive readout, prioritized roadmap
  • 60-day implementation support included
Ideal for readiness reviews, maturity assessments, and regulatory-alignment work.
III. Tier 03
Retained Advisory

Retained Advisory

An ongoing relationship, principal-led.

$3,000–$12,000 / month
CadenceQuarterly · Renewable
MinimumOne quarter
ResponseSame business day
  • Ongoing executive & board-level advisement
  • Regular working sessions on live questions
  • Access for designated stakeholders across the org
  • Program & roadmap stewardship across quarters
  • Quarterly written review of posture & progress
Ideal for boards and executive teams navigating a multi-quarter program.
IV. Tier 04
Fractional Executive

Fractional Executive

An embedded seat on the leadership team.

$6,000–$30,000 / month
Commitment6+ months
Weekly time1–3 days
RoleCTO · CISO · CAIO
  • Embedded seat on the executive team
  • Team leadership & vendor management
  • Board reporting on your behalf
  • Hiring & transition support for your permanent successor
  • Predictable weekly commitment & named availability
Ideal for organizations not yet ready to recruit a full-time executive.
V. Tier 05
Hourly Consultation

Hourly Consultation

Principal-led hours, when that is what the moment needs.

Varies / hour
FormatRemote by default
SchedulingWithin days
BillingMonthly, in arrears
  • Ad-hoc counsel on a live question or decision
  • Second opinion or independent review
  • Expert witness & litigation-support hours
  • Executive & board preparation sessions
  • Named availability for follow-up
Ideal for bounded, high-stakes moments that don’t warrant a full engagement.
Notes on engagement
01

Scoped first, hourly when needed.

Most engagements are scoped to a single written fee, agreed before the work begins, with no timesheets or surprise invoices. Hourly is available for ad-hoc, focused, or expert-witness needs.

02

On-site expenses.

Travel, lodging, and per-diem for on-site work are billed separately at cost, with a written estimate before any travel is booked and receipts on every invoice.

03

Nonprofit & mission-driven.

Organizations whose work serves a clear public benefit, nonprofits, public-sector, and mission-driven teams, are offered a meaningful discount against the ranges above.

04

Fit first.

If the practice isn't the right fit for the work, I'll say so on the discovery call, and, where I can, point you to someone who is. Fit matters more than booking the engagement.

Request a written scope & quote
08 / Why Work With Me

What distinguishes the practice.

There is no shortage of consultants. What distinguishes this practice is the combination of deep credentials, rigorous methodology, and a principal who actually leads the work, not a pipeline of account-manager-staffed engagements.

i.

Deep credentials, not just certifications.

CIPM-certified, with 45+ active credentials spanning privacy, cybersecurity, AI, and management, paired with hands-on research at Georgia Tech in AI privacy engineering and medical AI, and authorship of a 500-page textbook on AI governance.

ii.

Principal-led, always.

Every engagement is led directly by the principal. The person you hire is the person who does the work, writes the deliverables, and answers your calls.

iii.

Strategy before system.

The architecture of your transformation is designed before touching a platform, vendor, or line of code. Every system recommended is grounded in a deliberate strategic rationale, not a default stack.

iv.

Built to last.

The goal is institutional capability that outlasts the engagement, frameworks, systems, and leadership structures your team can own, operate, and scale long after the work is complete.

09 / Client Voices

What clients say.

A 100% client satisfaction rate is not a marketing claim, it is the result of how the work is delivered and who delivers it.

“
Noah and his team have been a lifesaver for our organization. Professional, consistent, and adaptable. It was probably the single best decision we made for our organization.
Client — Mission-Driven OrganizationMulti-year engagement
“
They take a people-centered approach, prioritizing the voices of their clients. Incredible problem solvers, and nothing short of miracle-workers for our team.
Client — Nonprofit LeadershipStrategic advisory
“
Digital 520 worked some magic in about two hours on something I had worked on periodically for months.
Client — Professional ServicesFocused engagement
“
The team is knowledgeable, conscientious, and very creative. Excellence and professionalism at its finest.
Client — Cross-sectorOngoing partnership
10 / Frequently Asked

Questions, answered.

A short set of answers to the questions that come up most often at the start of a conversation. For anything beyond these, the best next step is simply to get in touch.

01How do engagements typically start?

With a short, complimentary discovery call, usually 30 minutes, to understand the situation, the constraints, and whether the practice is the right fit. If it is, I'll propose a scope in writing; if it isn't, I'll tell you that, and where else I'd point you.

02Who actually does the work?

I do. Every engagement is principal-led, the work and the deliverables come from me. Where implementation requires additional hands, the Digital 520 team is brought in under my direct oversight.

03What does pricing look like?

Engagements are scoped to the work, not billed by the hour. Assessments are typically fixed-fee; retained advisory and fractional roles are quarterly or monthly. Once the scope is understood, I'll send a written proposal with a single, clear number, no surprises, no scope creep.

04Do you work remotely or on-site?

Both. Most engagements run remotely by default; on-site time is scheduled strategically for discovery workshops, board moments, and major working sessions. Multi-month programs typically use a hybrid cadence. I'm based in Atlanta and travel as needed.

05How is this different from a big-firm engagement?

A big-firm partnership is a pipeline: principal in the pitch, associates in the work. Here, the principal is the practitioner. You get the depth of someone who has built governance programs, written the textbook, and sat in fractional executive seats, delivered directly, without the layers.

06What kinds of organizations do you work with?

Regulated and mission-driven organizations, healthcare systems, financial institutions, government agencies, nonprofits, growth-stage technology companies, where the stakes of getting governance, privacy, and security wrong are measured in lives, livelihoods, and institutional trust.

07Do you sign NDAs and work with regulated data?

Routinely, yes. The practice is structured around handling sensitive and regulated information, CIPM-certified, with experience across HIPAA, GDPR, CCPA, SEC, FedRAMP / StateRAMP environments. NDAs are signed before the first substantive conversation as a matter of course.

08Can you work alongside our existing firms or counsel?

Frequently. Much of the work complements rather than replaces, slotting in alongside outside counsel, audit, and implementation partners, and bringing the in-house governance and technical perspective that those firms can't. I coordinate directly with the other advisors on your team.

11 / Contact

Start a conversation.

The first step is always a short call, no pitch, no hard sell, just a 30-minute conversation about the situation and whether the practice is the right fit. Discovery calls are always complimentary.

info@noahkenney.com
Email
info@noahkenney.com
Phone
470.205.0705
LinkedIn
/noah-m-kenney
Response
Within 1 business day