Tom Kemp Named by Okta as One of “The Identity 25” for Shaping the Field of Digital Identity
I am honored to have been named by Okta as one of “The Identity 25” for shaping the burgeoning field of digital identity. This is somewhat ironic in that I competed against Okta in a past life as founder and CEO of Centrify, but given how successful Okta has become in the space of identity management and the broader field of cybersecurity, I am not going to complain about being so named by the market leader in digital identity. As noted by Okta in its press release announcing The Identity 25:
In a world where every digital experience, from website logins to e-commerce transactions to voting, is rooted in identity management, "The Identity 25" aims to recognize and elevate emerging leaders who are enhancing identity, security, and privacy for businesses, consumers, and global citizens.
This year's Identity 25 list is a diverse compilation of academics, activists, public servants, entrepreneurs, standard-setters, and technology pioneers. Working across various disciplines and capacities, these individuals contribute to making the world a safer place to live, work, and transact.
Hey that’s me in the 2nd row from the bottom, on the left.
Okta did a great job in identifying 25 people who are truly making an impact in digital identity and its a great honor to be among this esteemed grouping. A blog post by Okta describes what myself and others in The Identity 25 are doing:
Indeed, the collective efforts of these luminaries resonate far beyond the realms of technology, shaping the very fabric of our digital society. As we confront the evolving challenges of an increasingly complex digital world, the contributions of The Identity 25 honorees become all the more vital. From combating AI-enabled fraudsters to navigating the intricacies of interoperable digital standards, these innovators are at the forefront of safeguarding our digital future.
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Their contributions span various domains, including policy advocacy, technological innovation, standard-setting, and educational outreach.
No doubt my work in privacy advocacy (e.g., California Privacy Rights Act, California Delete Act, etc.), my book Containing Big Tech where I evangelize the need for guardrails to protect our identity and personal data, my past work professionally in the identity space with Centrify, and my angel investing in cybersecurity startups including in identity verification led to my inclusion.
Below is a screenshot of my writeup in “The Identity 25 Datasheet.”
It was really cool that Okta also had headshots of the The Identity 25 show up on NASDAQ’s big board in Times Square, and here is my 5 seconds of fame.
Thanks again to Otka for the great honor!